THE  LIBRARY  OF  THE 

UNIVERSITY  OF 

NORTH  CAROLINA 


THE  COLLECTION  OF 
NORTH  CAROLINIANA 


CB 

M152 

C.3 


UNIVERSITY  OF  N.C,  AT  CHAPEL  HILL 


00017486640 


This  book  may  be  kept  out  one  month  unless  a  recall 
notice  is  sent  to  you.  It  must  be  brought  to  the  North 
Carolina  Collection  (in  Wilson  Library)  for  renewal. 


Charles  Duncan  McIver 


Born  September  27,  1860 
Died  September  17,  1906 


Write  me  as  one  that  loves  his  fellow-men.  " 


MEMORIAIv  VOLUME 

Prepared  in  accordance  with  a  resolution  of  the  Board  of  Direc- 
tors of  The  North  Carolina  State  Normal  and  Industrial  College 
and  under  the  direction  of  the  following  Committee  of  the  Faculty  : 

Wii,LiAM  C.  Smith, 
Viola  Boddie, 
Mary  Settle  Sharpe. 


"Happy  he 
Who  to  his  rest  is  bonie, 
In  sure  and  certain  hope, 
Before  the  hand  of  age 
Hath  chilled  his  faculties, 

Or  sorrow  reached  him  in  his  heart  of  hearts! 
Most  happy  if  he  leave  in  his  good  name 
A  light  for  those  who  follow  him, 
And  in  his  works  a  living  seed 
Of  good,  prolific  still." 


PRESSES  OF 

JOS.  J.  Stone  &  Company 

Printers  and  Binders 

Greensboro 

North  Carolina 


CONTENTS 

For  more  complete  table  of  contents  see  latter  part  of  this  volume. 


Page 

A  Noble  Career  Ended.    Press  Accounts. . .         7-15 
Eulogy  by  Hon.  William  Jennings  Bryan.       17-27 

Laid  to  Rest.    Press  Accounts 30-32 

Funeral  Sermon 33-42 

Press  Tributes 43-126 

Memorials  and  Memorial  Exercises 127-181 

Memorial  Addresses   129-162 

Governor's  Proclamation 163-164 

Resolutions 182-213 

Personal  Tributes 214-257 

Biographical  Sketch  258-281 


"The  most  important  civil  institution  in  the  State  is  a  public 
school.  No  man  can  really  believe  in  a  republican  form  of  government 
who  does  not  base  his  political  philosophy  upon  the  intelligence  and 
right  training  of  all  the  people.  *  *  *  The  chief  factors  of  any 
civilization  are  its  homes  and  its  primary  schools.  Homes  and  primary 
schools  are  made  by  women  rather  than  by  men.  No  State  which 
will  once  educate  its  mothers  need  have  any  fear  about  future 
illiteracy."  *  *  * 

"Sometimes  we  think  it  is  a  pity  that  a  good  man  who  has  learned 
to  be  of  service  to  his  fellows  should  be  called  out  of  the  world.  So 
sometimes  we  may  think  about  an  enterprising  and  useful  generation; 
but,  after  all,  the  generations  of  men  are  but  relays  in  civilization's 
march  on  its  journey  from  savagery  to  the  millennium.  Each  genera- 
tion owes  it  to  the  past  and  to  the  future  that  no  previous  worthy 
attainment  or  achievement,  whether  of  thought  or  deed  or  vision,  shall 
be  lost.  It  is  also  under  the  highest  obligation  to  make  at  least  as 
much  progress  on  the  march  as  has  been  made  by  any  generation 
that  has  gone  before." 

CHARLES  DUNCAN  McIVER. 


A  NOBLE  CAREER  SUDDENLY 
ENDED 


From  Press  Correspondence,  by  Andrew  Joyner 

The  tour  of  William  J.  Bryan  through  North  Caro- 
lina began  yesterday  afternoon  (September  17,  1906) 
with  the  departure  of  his  special  train  for  Greensboro 
accompanied  by  a  large  party  of  prominent  citizens. 
The  trip  to  Greensboro  started  auspiciously,  but  was 
saddened  just  as  the  train  left  Durham  by  the  death  of 
Dr.  Charles  D.  Mclver,  the  leading  educator  and  most 
useful  citizen  of  North  Carolina.  Beside  a  mechan- 
ical throb  of  the  pulse  as  we  laid  him  down  there 
was  no  movement  whatever  of  a  muscle  or  a  nerve, 
the  calmness  of  death  and  its  grand  dignity  of  repose 
marking  his  features  from  the  very  first.  It  was  apo- 
plexy, sure,  swift  and  sudden,  and  he  lay  there  until 
Greensboro  was  reached  as  if  in  a  sweet  and  restful 
sleep. 

Not  one  on  the  rear  car  knew  of  what  was  passing, 
abd  that  while  they  were  enjoying  the  sweet  converse 
of  congenial  thought,  social  or  political,  that  the  soul 
of  the  life  of  the  crowd  but  a  few  moments  before  had 
taken  its  flight.  When  the  awful  intelligence  was  com- 
municated, there  was  a  scene  never  to  be  forgotten  as 
weeping  men  rushed  through  the  fast  moving  train 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVER 


across  the  vestibule  to  the  dead  comrade's  side,  help- 
less, stunned,  paralyzed  with  sorrow.  Whatever  may 
be  Mr.  Bryan's  hold  on  himself,  he  lost  it  then.  Like 
a  lion  he  rushed  through,  less  speedy  friends  exclaim- 
ing :  "  It  cannot  be !  Oh,  it  cannot  be ! "  and  reaching 
the  bier,  he  knelt  down  and  caressed  the  dead  hands 
and  was  gently  led  away  weeping. 

At  Hillsboro  a  large  crowd  had  assembled  to  hear 
Mr.  Bryan,  and  this  station  was  reached  just  as  all 
had  become  acquainted  with  the  sad  event.  Here  tele- 
grams were  sent,  and  standing  in  the  rear  of  the  train 
Governor  Glenn,  as  Mr.  Bryan  stood  there  with  bowed 
head,  the  object  of  every  eye,  told  the  people  of  the 
occurrence,  and  they  stood  silent  and  awed,  uttering 
no  sound  as  the  train  moved  off. 

At  Burlington  there  was  an  immense  gathering  and 
it  had  been  arranged  for  Mr.  Bryan  to  speak  in  a 
pavilion  near  by.  Governor  Glenn  again  imparted  the 
sad  news.  The  people  seemed  unable  to  comprehend. 
Soon  they  began  to  leave  and  crowd  around  the  rear 
platform  of  the  car.  Standing  there  with  head  bared 
Mr.  Bryan  said : 

"I  am  sure  that  you  will  agree  with  me  that  this 
is  not  the  time  or  occasion  for  a  political  speech  or  any 
other  speech  when  I  tell  you  that  just  after  we  left 
Durham,  one  of  our  party.  Dr.  Charles  D.  Mclver, 
suddenly  died.  He  was  the  man  who  first  invited  me 
to  North  Carolina  twelve  years  ago,  and  I  have  never 
been  in  your  State  since,  but  he  was  found  on  the 
reception  committee  and  the  first  to  greet  and  cheer 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVER 


me.  And  when  I  recently  reached  New  York  from 
abroad,  Dr.  Mclver  was  there  to  greet  me  and  again 
to  invite  me  to  North  Carolina. 

"His  life,  perhaps  more  than  that  of  any  man  I 
know  as  well,  illustrates  the  value  of  an  ideal.  He  was 
an  educated  man  whose  sympathies  were  ever  with  the 
uneducated.  He  moved  in  and  adorned  the  highest 
circles,  yet  snapped  the  golden  chord  in  unselfishly 
lifting  others  up,  and  he  devoted  that  life  to  bringing 
blessings  to  the  poor  and  less  favored  than  he.  His 
death  is  a  loss,  a  fearful  loss  to  his  country,  his  State, 
his  city  of  Greensboro,  to  the  glorious  institution  of 
learning  which  is  now  so  suddenly  become  his  endur- 
ing and  sanctifying  monument,  to  his  family,  to  his 
church,  his  party,  and  a  grievous  personal  loss  to  me. 
I  bid  you  all  a  sad  good-by. ' ' 

From  The  Daily  Industrial  News,  Greensboro 

"Charles  D.  Mclver  is  dead" — as  a  pall  this  sen- 
tence fell  upon  Greensboro  yesterday  afternoon.  And 
not  to  Greensboro  alone,  but  to  the  entire  State  is  the 
loss — not  alone  to  the  State  but  to  the  entire  educa- 
tional world.  For  Dr.  Mclver  had  made  for  himself 
a  place  in  his  chosen  field  of  work  that  cannot  be  filled. 
'To  the  education  of  the  South,  especially  the  women 
of  the  South,  he  had  devoted  his  life. 

Coming  from  the  University,  he  taught  in  the  public 
schools,  coming  from  the  schools  to  the  State  Normal 
and  Industrial  College  while  that  Institution  was  yet 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVEB 


an  unrealized  thought — he  was  its  godfather.  Over 
its  infancy  he  watched  with  tenderest  care.  Through 
its  childhood  he  planned  and  labored  for  its  upbuild- 
ing with  all  the  power  of  his  commanding  ability  and 
tireless  energy.  All  those  whom  he  had  gathered 
around  him  in  the  work,  he  imbued  with  his  own 
enthusiasm,  and  largely  as  the  result  of  the  labor  and 
the  love  of  this  one  man  has  arisen  the  wonderful 
Institution  of  today. 

But  though  the  Normal  College  was  the  dearest 
child  of  his  endeavor,  he  did  not  confine  himself  to  it 
alone.  Every  public  measure  promising  good  appealed 
to  him  and  received  his  hearty  support.  The  campaign 
for  better  rural  schools  found  in  Doctor  Mclver  a 
champion  second  to  none  in  loyal  love  or  effective 
assistance.  In  the  movement  inaugurated  by  the 
Southern  Education  Board  he  was  the  commanding 
figure.  His  was  the  brain  from  which  sprang  the  idea 
of  the  reunion  of  former  North  Carolinians.  His  was 
the  hand  that  guided  it  to  a  successful  conclusion.  In 
all  things  that  he  undertook,  many  and  varied  though 
they  were,  success  crowned  his  efforts;  for  his  heart 
was  in  his  work. 

Through  his  work  will  he  live  in  the  history  of  North 
Carolina,  but  even  aside  from  his  work,  he  will  not  be 
forgotten  by  the  multitude  who  called  him  friend.  He 
is  gone  with  much  already  accomplished,  and  yet  with 
apparently  much  still  before.  In  the  prime  of  man- 
hood he  was  suddenly  stricken  and  taken  from  the  field 
of  useful  endeavor — dead  but  not  forgotten. 

10 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVEB 


Of  him  might  well  be  said  what  Scott  so  beautifully 
wrote  of  one  who  bore  the  same  blood  as  he,  and  with 
but  the  change  of  a  name  we  repeat  the  lines : 

"He  is  gone  on  the  mountain, 

He  is  lost  to  the  forest, 
Like  a  summer-dried  fountain. 

When  our  need  was  the  sorest. 
The  foni,  reappearing, 

From  the  rain  drops  shall  borrow. 
But  to  us  comes  no   cheering, 

To  Mclver  no  morrow. 

"The  hand  of  the  reaper 

Takes  the  ears  that  are  hoary. 
But  the  voice  of  the  weeper 

Wails  manhood  in  glory; 
The   autumn  winds  rushing 

Waft  the  leaves  that  are  searest. 
But  our  flower  was  in  flushing 

When  blighting  was  nearest. 

"Fleet  foot  on  the  correi, 

Sage  counsel  in  cumber. 
Red   hand   in  the  foray. 

How  sound  is  thy  slumber! 
Like   the  dew  on  the  mountain, 

Like  the  foam  on  the  river, 
Like  the  bubble  on  the  fountain. 

Thou  art  gone  and  forever!" 

Yes,  gone  in  the  body  and  gone  from  the  sight  of 
mortal  eyes,  and  yet  not  wholly  gone,  for  never  will 
his  memory  fade  from  the  minds  and  hearts  of  those 

11 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVEB 


who  love  humanity  and  love  those  who  loved  humanity, 
and  of  such  in  the  fullest  measure  was  Charles  Duncan 
Mclver. 

Editorial  in  Greensboro  Record 

Not  only  has  Greensboro  and  the  State,  but  the 
Nation  as  well,  sustained  a  severe  loss  in  the  death  of 
Dr.  Charles  D.  INIcIver,  President  of  the  State  Normal 
and  Industrial  College  in  this  place.  The  particulars 
of  his  untimely  end  are  found  elsewere  today. 

Men — great  men — die  every  day,  but  their  places 
are  soon  filled  and  they  are  almost  forgotten,  but  it 
is  no  exaggeration  to  say  that  to  fill  his  place  as  Presi- 
dent of  this  great  Institution  will  be  a  task  of  difficult 
proportions.  Men  to  operate  and  successfully  con- 
duct the  College  will  be  found,  but  to  measure  up  with 
the  late  President  is  another  matter.  His  life  was  con- 
secrated to  the  work ;  he  it  was  who  first  agitated  the 
establishment  of  the  School — a  School  to  enable  woman 
to  become  independent.  He  was  its  first  and  only 
President.  The  writer  knows  that  the  most  flatter- 
ing offers  were  made  him  to  connect  himself  with  other 
institutions,  the  first  being  the  presidency  of  the  Uni- 
versity at  Chapel  Hill,  but  he  put  them  all  behind 
him. 

His  forte  was  not  only  in  managing  the  College, 
but  in  keeping  it  always  at  the  forefront ;  in  building 
it  up  and  enlarging  it.  He  was  an  aggressive  man, 
yet  did  he  have  an  enemy?  Never !  Critics  there  were 
plenty,  bnt  so  open  and  above  board  were  his  methods 

12 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVEB 


that  even  these  could  but  admire  him.  He  used  no 
halfway  measures;  what  was  worth  doing  was  with 
him  worth  doing  with  all  his  might.  Politicians 
sought  his  overthroAv,  but  he  gave  the?n  no  heed ;  his 
sole  aim  was  the  welfare  of  his  beloved  Institution. 
How  well  he  succeeded  need  not  be  told ;  it  is  a  lasting 
monument  to  his  memory. 

He  was  a  lovable  man,  a  man  of  originality;  his 
methods  were  decidedly  original,  and  equipped  with 
the  strong  arm  of  justice,  he  swept  all  opposition 
before  him  whenever  and  wherever  the  College  was 
concerned.  Every  one  of  the  thousands  of  young 
women  who  attended  "The  Normal"  loved  him;  he 
made  their  lives  pleasant;  his  great  aim  was  to  make 
the  poorest  girl,  the  friendless  girl,  feel  that  she  was 
at  home ;  that  poverty  was  an  honor  if  honorably  worn. 

But  Dr.  Mclver's  work  was  not  by  any  means  con- 
fined to  the  Institution  over  which  he  presided  so  ably ; 
he  was  prominently  identified  with  educational  work 
throughout  the  country,  having  for  many  years  been 
an  honored  member  of  the  Southern  Education  Board, 
while  he  was  perhaps  among  the  first  to  agitate  local 
taxation  for  school  purposes,  and  the  increasingly  large 
number  of  school  houses  that  now  dot  the  State  can  be 
attributed  to  his  zeal  and  indefatigable  work. 

When  all  these  things  are  recognized  it  becomes 
apparent  that  his  loss  is  national. 

Truly  has  a  great  man  fallen. 


13 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVER 


Editorial  in  Greensboro  Telegram 

It  seems  almost  impossible  to  believe  that  Dr. 
Mclver  is  dead.  It  is  quite  impossible  to  fully  realize 
all  that  the  death  of  such  a  man  means  to  the  com- 
munity, to  the  State,  and  to  the  Nation — for  the 
influence  of  Charles  D.  Mclver  was  bounded  only  by 
national  lines. 

A  man  of  the  intensest  activity,  we  can  hardly  think 
of  him  as  being  cold  and  still  in  death.  He  did  not 
know  how  to  be  half-hearted  or  lukewarm  in  anything. 
What  he  did,  he  did  energetically,  strenuously.  He 
spoke,  even  in  conversation  with  a  single  person,  with 
the  same  vigor  and  energy.  And  this  is  but  another 
way  of  paying  him  the  highest  compliment  possible 
by  accrediting  him  with  being  absolutely  and  always 
true  to  his  convictions. 

The  debt  that  the  womanhood  of  the  State  owe  him 
can  never  be  paid.  To  him  is  to  be  traced  in  the  last 
analysis  all  the  influences  which  have  flown  from  the 
Normal  College  for  the  uplift  of  North  Carolina 
women,  for  he  was  the  Normal  College  in  the  sense 
that  it  was  his  creation.  He  it  was  who  both  planned 
and  executed,  overcoming  seemingly  insuperable 
obstacles  by  his  titanic  energy  and  determination. 
From  first  to  last  the  Institution  bore  the  impress  of 
his  powerful  personality  and  his  influence  Avill  ever  be 
felt  in  its  future  history. 

But  the  range  of  his  sympathies  included  more  than 
the  College  he  loved  so  well.     He  was  as  loyal  to 

14 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVER 


Greensboro  as  he  was  to  the  College.  He  planned 
for  his  State.  He  loved  the  South.  And  he  had  as 
firm  convictions  regarding  the  policy  of  the  Nation 
as  a  whole  as  he  had  in  the  other  spheres  of  activity 
in  which  he  was  so  dominant  a  factor. 

He  was  ever  a  loyal  friend  to  the  City  of  Greensboro. 
He  believed  in  it  intensely.  He  was  always  ready  to 
do  anything  in  his  power  to  advance  its  interests. 

His  influence  on  the  educational  life  of  the  State 
will  never  be  fully  appreciated.  Perhaps  it  is  safe 
to  say  that  no  man  ever  influenced  it  so  decidedly. 

In  national  and  southern  educational  meetings  he 
was  a  central,  commanding  figure. 

It  is  a  common  saying  that  any  man's  place  can  be 
filled.  But  where  will  another  Charles  D.  Mclver  be 
found? 


15 


A  NOBLE  REQUIEM 


From  the  Daily  Industrial  News 

Seldom  has  a  man  had  a  grander  requiem  than  Dr. 
Mclver. 

The  eyes  of  the  State  were  on  Greensboro  last  night. 
From  near  and  far  men  and  women  had  gathered 
to  hear  words  of  public  import  fall  from  the  lips  of 
one  of  the  most  remarkable  men  this  country  has  ever 
produced. 

William  Jennings  Bryan,  the  trusted  leader  of  mil- 
lions of  his  fellow  citizens,  came  to  our  city  to  speak. 
He  had  intended  to  talk  on  the  important  public 
questions  of  the  day.  But  as  a  special  train  was  bear- 
ing him  swiftly  to  our  city,  Dr.  Mclver,  who  was  of 
the  party,  was  suddenly  stricken  by  the  hand  of  death. 

As  if  by  common  consent,  the  character  of  the 
journey  was  altered.  The  assembled  multitude 
crowded  the  opera  house,  but  over  all  there  was  a 
hush  as  in  the  presence  of  death. 

The  great  Nebraskan,  who  has  so  often  swayed 
thousands  by  his  eloquence,  with  a  thoughtful  con- 
sideration and  tender  courtesy  that  marks  a  kindly, 
generous  heart,  pushed  aside  the  political  questions 
with  which  his  life  has  of  late  been  crowded,  and  spoke 
only  of  him  who  lay  cold  in  death. 


16 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVER 


Tenderly,  touching  and  eloquently  the  words  fell 
from  his  lips  and  those  who  heard  knew  they  came 
from  the  heart. 

The  distinguished  visitor  and  his  hearers  forgot 
those  things  which  push  men  asunder  and  remembered 
the  holy  sorrow  that  draws  all  men  together. 

More  than  generous,  more  than  gracious,  truly  noble, 
was  Mr.  Bryan's  address — a  great  man's  eulogy  upon 
another  great  man,  delivered  before  an  audience  that 
loved  them  both. 

EULOGY  BY  HON.  WILLIAM  JENNINGS  BRYAN 

Delivered  in  Greensboro  on  Monday  Night, 
September  17 

I  have  come  to  North  Carolina  to  take  part  in  your 
campaign.  I  came  here  because  I  felt  that  I  owed 
to  your  people  a  debt  of  gratitude  so  large  that  I 
was  under  obligation  to  respond  to  any  demand  that 
you  might  make  upon  me. 

But,  my  friends,  something  has  occurred  since  my 
arrival  in  this  State  that  makes  it  impossible  for  me 
to  gratify  the  expectations  that  brought  you  to  this 
hall,  many  of  you  from  distant  homes;  and  yet  my 
excuse  is  one  that  must  appeal  to  every  one  of  you. 
There  was  one  in  this  community  at  whose  invitation 
I  visited  your  city  twelve  years  ago.  This  was  one 
of  the  first  States  of  the  South  with  which  I  became 
acquainted  and  it  was  through  an  invitation  from  Dr. 
Charles  Mclver  that  I  came  here.    I  have  never  come 


17 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVER 


to  North  Carolina  without  seeing  him.  He  has  always 
greeted  me  with  a  smile,  and  when  I  landed  in  New 
York  the  other  day,  after  an  absence  of  almost  a  year, 
I  found  that  he  had  traveled  all  the  way  from  North 
Carolina  to  add  his  greeting  to  the  greetings  extended 
by  other  friends.  And  when  I  arrived  this  morning, 
he  was  one  of  the  first  to  meet  me  and  we  enjoyed 
communion  together  until  on  our  return,  without  a 
moment's  notice  he  was  smnmoned  to  the  world 
beyond,  and  the  latter  part  of  the  journey  was  made 
with  all  that  was  mortal  of  this  friend. 
''  Do  not  expect  me  to  make  a  political  speech  tonight. 
My  mind  will  not  work  along  political  lines.  It 
requires  all  my  blood  to  supply  my  heart.  There  is 
none  left  to  make  my  brain  active.  All  that  I  can  say 
to  you  tonight  is  to  draw  some  lessons  from  a  life 
that  impressed  me  as  it  must  have  impressed  you,  and 
if  any  here  wish  to  hear  me  on  political  subjects,  I 
will  come  again  and  talk  to  you  when  I  can  meet 
your  expectations.  I  could  not  do  it  tonight  if  you 
demanded  it  of  me. 

There  is  something  solemn  in  standing  in  the  pres- 
ence of  death.  I  do  not  know  that  I  have  ever  been 
brought  nearer  to  this  mystery  than  I  have  been 
brought  today.  To  see  one  in  the  full  enjoyment  of 
life,  to  see  one  entering  with  enthusiasm  into  all  of 
the  exercises  of  the  day,  and  then  in  a  moment  find 
that  the  vital  spark  has  disappeared,  and  that  he  lies 
cold  in  death,  is  an  experience  that  is  rare  for  me,  and 
it  is  rare  for  the  most  of  us.  But  I  am  sure  this  subject 

18 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVER 


has  come  so  near  to  each  one  of  you  in  the  death  of 
father  or  mother,  wife  or  daughter,  brother  or  sis- 
ter, or  friend,  that  there  is  not  one  here  who  will  go 
away  and  criticize  me  for  surrendering  to  my  feelings, 
my  personal  feelings  of  friendship,  rather  than  pre- 
senting to  you  a  political  address. 

I  have  traveled  some,   and  I  have  come  back  to 
America  with  a  greater  pride  in  my  country  than  I 
ever  had  before.     There  is  no  country  on  earth  like 
ours.    I  thought  it  before  I  left  home ;  I  know  it  now. 
Go  where  you  will,  in  either  hemisphere,  on  any  con- 
tinent, among  any  people,  and  you  will  not  find  a 
people  like  the  people  of  the  United  States.     They 
have  all  of  the  qualities  that  make  a  nation  great, 
and  they  have  them  to  a  degree  that  you  do  not  find 
in  any  other  land,  and  the  thing  that  impressed  me 
most  was  that  my  country  is  presenting  an  ideal  of 
human  life  to  the  world— the  highest  ideal  that  the 
world  has  ever  known.    There  is  more  altruism  in  the 
United  States  than  in  any  other  country  now  known, 
more  than  in  any  other  country  that  history  tells  us 
of.     I  have  found  evidences  of  this  altruism  every- 
where.   I  have  traveled,  following  the  sun  in  its  course, 
over  thousands  of  miles  of  the  Orient,  and  in  every 
center  I  found  some  Americans  or  group  of  Americans, 
who  from  disinterested  love  for  the  human  race,  were 
holding  up  the  light  of  American  civilization,   and 
when  I  reached  Bombay  and  addressed  a  school  sup- 
ported by  American  money,  when  I  attended  another 
institution  where  little  blind  Indians  were  gathered 


19 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVEB 


together  and  taught  by  American  money,  I  told  them 
that  we  might  not  be  able  to  boast  that  the  sun  never 
set  upon  our  possessions,  but  that  we  could  boast  that 
the  sun  never  set  upon  American  philanthropy;  that 
before  it  went  down  upon  one  center  of  civilization  it 
rose  upon  another.  I  learned  to  admire  these  people 
with  a  mission,  these  people  with  a  purpose,  these  peo- 
ple who  are  willing  to  sacrifice  themselves  for  the  ben- 
efit of  others.  And  what  I  loved  about  our  dead  friend 
was  that  he  was  measuring  life  by  what  he  put  into 
the  world  and  not  by  what  he  took  out  of  the  world.' 
If  I  were  going  to  describe  a  successful  life  and  con- 
trast it  with  a  selfish  life;  if  I  oould  illustrate  it  by 
a  picture  drawn  on  canvas,  I  would  present  a  stagnant 
pool,  gathering  water  from  all  around,  and  giving 
forth  nothing  till  at  last  it  became  a  scene  of  disease 
and  death ;  and  then  I  would  present  on  canvas  a 
living  spring  pouring  forth  constantly  of  that  which 
refreshes  and  invigorates.  I  would  show  that  the  stag- 
nant pool  represents  a  selfish,  self-centered  life,  and 
that  the  living  spring  represents  an  unselfish  life,  a 
really  successful  life;  and  I  look  back  upon  the  life 
of  Dr.  Mclver  as  a  spring  overflowing  with  that  which 
refreshes  and  invigorates.  He  worked  his  way  up. 
He  was  an  example  of  what  can  be  done  in  this  coun- 
try. Laboring  first  to  secure  his  education ;  then  going 
out  and  teaching;  then  starting  with  a  purpose  to 
establish  a  school  for  women,  he  had  made  his  impress 
upon  the  educational  system  of  this  State.  When  I  was 
last   here   he  showed  me   a   map   on  which   he   had 

20 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVER 


marked  places  to  show  where  the  length  of  the  school 
term  had  been  extended.  He  was  trying  to  enlarge 
the  scope  of  education.  He  was  trying  to  bring  it 
within  the  reach  of  more  people.  Why?  Because  he 
loved  the  human  race;  because  he  wanted  to  do  some- 
thing for  them.  He  might  have  enjoyed  himself  at 
home  more  than  when  he  was  off  speaking.  He  might 
have  had  the  quiet  of  life  when  he  was  busy  and  active, 
but  there  was  within  him  something  that  demanded 
that  he  should  go  forth  and  do  something.  He  saw 
the  education  of  your  women  confined  largely  to  the 
class,  that  is,  higher  education,  where  it  was  expensive, 
and  as  his  heart  was  in  sympathy  with  the  poor  and 
the  struggling,  he  wanted  to  make  it  possible  for  more 
of  them  to  get  an  education,  and  with  that  purpose  he 
secured  the  establishment  of  a  school,  and  he  presided 
over  it,  and  he  gave  his  experience  to  it,  until  now  he 
has  established  a  great  institution  here  with  between 
five  hundred  and  six  hundred  girls,  and  they  are  get- 
ting an  education,  and  he  has  made  education  so  cheap 
for  them  that  people  can  now  get  it  who  could  not 
have  afforded  it  before  his  work  was  done. 

Who  will  measure  the  things  done  by  such  a  man? 
I  have  been  in  countries  where  education  was  scarcely 
known.  In  India,  where  less  than  one  per  cent,  of 
the  women  can  read  and  write,  I  looked  upon  one  of 
the  most  beautiful  pieces  of  architecture  in  the  world. 
Many  people  think  there  is  not  on  earth  a  building 
that  equals  in  beauty  the  Taj  Mahal.  It  is  a  tomb  that 
a  man  reared  to  his  wife  whom  he  loved,  and  people 

21 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVER 


who  visit  it  marvel  at  its  beauty.  For  more  than  three 
hundred  years  it  has  stood  there,  the  admiration  of 
all  the  world,  and  yet  as  I  looked  upon  it,  and  then 
looked  around  and  saw  how  few  of  the  women  in  that 
community  were  able  to  read  and  write,  how  few  of 
them  had  ever  had  anything  done  for  them,  I  asked 
myself:  "Would  not  this  emperor  have  paid  a  higher 
tribute  to  his  wife,  had  he  done  something  for  woman- 
hood, trying  to  lift  woman  up  and  make  her  lot  easier 
and  her  path  brighter?  Would  he  not  have  paid  a 
greater  tribute  to  his  wife  than  in  building  that  splen- 
did marble  monument  in  the  midst  of  destitution, 
disease  and  despair?"  Dr.  Melver  chose  the  wiser 
part.  He  paid  his  tribute  to  womanhood  by  trying  to 
bring  happiness  into  a  larger  number  of  homes.  Who 
will  measure  the  influence  that  he  has  exerted  upon 
this  State?  He  is  dead;  in  a  few  days  his  remains 
will  be  consigned  to  the  grave ;  they  will  heap  the  dirt 
up  over  him ;  from  time  to  time  loving  friends  will  go 
and  put  flowers  there,  but,  my  friends.  Dr.  McIver 
still  lives  in  the  work  that  he  has  done.  He  has 
touched  the  hearts  of  your  people,  and  through  their 
hearts  he  will  live  on.  Some  time  I  think  we  over- 
estimate the  influence  of  the  mind,  and  if  there  is  not 
something  in  education  more  than  mental  instruction, 
it  is  sometimes  a  disappointment  to  those  who  have  it, 
and  to  their  friends,  but  Dr.  McIver  had  behind  his 
intellectual  enthusiasm  a  moral  enthusiasm,  and  you 
could  not  come  into  contact  with  his  life,  consecrated  to 
great  work,  without  feeling  that  somehow  there  had 

22 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVEB 


been  kindled  in  your  own  heart  an  enthusiasm  like  his. 
What  has  he  done  ?  How  long  will  his  influence  be  felt  ? 
Who  can  tell?  Who  will  measure  the  influence  that 
heart  can  exert  upon  heart?  You  can  measure  the 
influence  that  a  body  can  exert  upon  a  body.  You  can 
measure  the  influence  that  a  mind  can  exert  upon  a 
mind,  but  who  will  measure  the  influence  that  a  heart 
can  exert  upon  the  heart  of  the  human  race?  We 
speak  of  inventions  of  genius,  and  they  have  been 
great.  We  marvel  that  one  can  stand  by  the  side  of 
a  telegraphic  instrument,  and  by  means  of  an  electric 
current  talk  to  people  ten  thousand  miles  away,  but 
the  achievements  of  the  heart  are  still  greater.  The 
heart  that  is  full  of  love  for  its  fellows,  the  heart  that 
yearns  to  do  some  great  good,  the  heart  that  puts  into 
motion  something  for  the  benefit  of  the  human  race, 
will  speak  to  hearts  that  will  beat  ten  thousand  years 
after  all  our  hearts  are  still.  How  are  people  remem- 
bered ?  Do  you  build  monuments  to  them  ?  Is  that  the 
only  way  ?  Have  you  ever  gone  into  an  old  graveyard, 
a  hundred  years  old,  or  two  hundred,  and  looked  at  the 
monuments  over  the  graves?  How  few  of  all  the 
countless  millions  of  the  human  race  will  ever  be 
remembered  one  hundred  years  after  their  death  by 
any  monument  that  marks  their  resting-place !  I  am 
glad  that  the  Creator^ — as  infinite  in  love  as  in  power 
— has  made  it  possible  for  every  human  being  to 
erect  for  himself  a  monument  that  will  endure  when 
all  the  monuments  of  granite  and  bronze  have  crum- 
bled to  decay.     I  believe  such  a  monument  has  been 

23 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVER 


reared  by  Dr.  Mclver.  Five  hundred  students — into 
how  many  homes  do  these  people  go  ?  Count  the  grad- 
uates Avho  have  gone  out  from  year  to  year.  Count 
the  homes  which  they  have  helped  to  make  better,  and 
then  trace,  if  you  can,  this  tremendous  influence  as  it 
goes  on  in  increasing  circles  generation  after  genera- 
tion. We  can  measure  the  distance  of  the  farthest 
star  from  the  earth,  but  who  will  measure  the  influence 
of  a  single  kind  word  or  a  single  kind  act  on  the 
generations  that  are  yet  to  come  ? 

Dr.  Mclver  has  shown  us  what  man  can  do.  He  has 
not  only  shown  us  this,  but  also  what  man  ought  to 
do.  He  has  given  us  an  ideal  of  life,  and  I  am  coming 
more  and  more  to  believe  that  the  ideal  is  the  impor- 
tant thing.  There  are  Democrats  here  and  they  have 
spoken  kindly  of  my  Democracy.  There  are  Republi- 
cans here,  and  they  have  sometimes  criticized  me  possi- 
bly with  severity.  I  want  to  say  to  you  that  I  have 
reached  this  point,  that  I  believe  that  the  things  that 
hold  us  together  as  citizens  are  more  important  and 
more  numerous  than  the  things  that  separate  us  dur- 
ing campaigns  into  hostile  battles,  and  I  am  more 
wedded  to  the  ideal  that  shapes  the  individual  life 
than  I  am  to  any  party  policy.  No  matter  how  good 
we  make  our  government,  no  one  will  get  the  benefit 
of  it  if  he  has  an  ideal  that  does  not  lead  him  onward. 
No  matter  how  bad  our  government  may  be,  those  who 
have  ideals  that  are  best  can  stand  the  bad  government, 
and  will  least  suffer  from  it.  If  I  could  look  into  your 
hearts  and  see  what  ideals  you  have  there,  I  could 

24 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVER 


measure  with  some  exactness  your  future  with  its 
happiness  or  its  w^oe.  The  ideal  controls  the  life,  and 
one  of  the  most  important  things  to  present  to  the 
young  is  an  ideal.  I  speak  as  a  parent  to  parents  when 
I  tell  you  that  the  most  important  thing  that  we  parents 
have  to  do  is  to  give  to  our  children  a  conception  of 
life  that  is  a  worthy  one  and  that  will  control  their 
destiny.  I  believe  that  no  ideal  is  high  enough  for  a 
great  life,  a  good  life,  a  successful  life,  that  is  not  high 
enough  to  be  seen  from  both  sides  of  the  river  that 
divides  time  and  eternity.  I  believe  that  Dr.  Mclver 
had  an  ideal,  a  Christian  ideal,  a  conception  of  life 
as  not  limited  to  a  few  years  on  earth — but  as  a  small 
arc  of  an  infinite  circle. 

I  have  been  a  member  of  a  Christian  church  from 
the  time  I  was  fourteen.  I  passed  through  my  period 
of  scepticism  as  a  school  boy,  and  I  was  planted  upon 
solid  rock  by  the  time  I  reached  manhood,  and  as  I 
have  grown  older  my  views  on  the  subject  have  deep- 
ened, but  I  say  to  you  this  trip  around  the  world  has 
much  increased  not  only  my  devotion  to  the  Christian 
ideal  of  life,  but  my  appreciation  of  its  priceless  value. 
We  are  doing  more  for  the  world  when  we  give  it 
a  conception  of  life  in  harmony  with  our  religion  than 
we  are  in  any  other  way,  and  I  am  glad  that  our  dead 
brother  day  by  day  held  before  those  who  came  into 
contact  with  him  a  Christian  ideal  of  life,  an  ideal 
of  service,  an  ideal  that  life  is  to  be  measured  by  the 
service  rendered;  that  we  are  to  be  giving  forth  all 
the  time,  and  not  merely  selfishly  trying  to  secure  the 


25 


CHARLES    DUNCAN   McIVER 


richest  rewards  and  the  most  of  individual  comfort. 
I  had  my  ambitions  when  I  was  a  boy.  You  had  your 
ambitions,  and  these  ambitions  are  changed.  Some- 
times a  boy  starts  out  with  the  idea  that  he  is  going 
to  be  rich,  and  he  bends  everything  to  that  end ;  some- 
times one  starts  out,  and  his  goal  is  social  distinction, 
and  he  bends  every  energy  in  that  direction ;  another 
starts  out  with  an  ambition  for  office,  and  he  lays  his 
plans  and  works  patiently,  looking  forward  to  some 
coveted  honor.  I  had  my  ambition.  When  I  was  a 
boy  only  fourteen  years  of  age,  I  conceived  the  ambi- 
tion of  going  to  the  United  States  Senate.  I  never 
thought  of  going  to  Congress ;  never  thought  of  being 
President — it  was  to  be  a  United  States  Senator.  I 
didn't  expect  to  go  soon;  I  was  going  to  be  a  lawyer 
first ;  I  was  going  to  make  my  fortune  in  the  law,  and 
after  I  was  independent  I  was  going  to  enter  politics 
and  the  United  States  Senate  was  the  object  of  my 
ambition.  Circumstances  changed  the  course  of  my 
life,  and  experience  has  given  me,  I  think,  a  better 
ambition  than  to  hold  office.  One  hundred  years  from 
now  the  world  will  not  remember  me  by  what  the 
world  has  done  for  me.  If  the  world  remembers  me 
at  all,  it  will  be  for  what  I  have  done  for  the  world. 
I  am  conscious  of  changing  ideals  as  I  make  progress 
toward  the  grave.  You  are  conscious  of  changing 
ideals.  When  we  are  young,  things  look  great  to  us 
that  after  awhile  look  very  insignificant.  Struggles 
that  excite  us  and  arouse  us  are  looked  back  to  with 
amusement.     But,  my  friends,   as  we  approach  the 

26 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVEB 


grave  we  begin  to  wonder  what  the  world  is  going  to 
say  of  us ;  wonder  how  the  world  is  going  to  feel  when 
we  are  gone.  We  wonder  what  impression  our  lives 
are  going  to  make  upon  those  about  us.  Those  of  you 
who  are  older  already  think  of  this,  as  I  think  of  it. 
You  who  are  younger  will  think  of  it  as  you  grow  older. 
I  believe  that  Dr.  Mclver  's  life  was  a  success.  *  * 
I  will  tell  you  a  test  of  whether  life  has  been  a  success 
or  not.  We  all  live  amid  an  environment.  Sometimes 
we  are  only  known  to  a  little  circle,  sometimes  to  a  large 
circle;  but  when  we  die  there  is  going  to  be  a  just 
verdict,  and  that  just  and  honest  verdict  is  the  thing 
that  we  ourselves,  when  we  come  to  take  a  proper  viev/ 
of  life,  will  be  more  interested  in  than  the  houses  and 
lands  that  we  leave  for  our  children  to  quarrel  over. 
And  I  have  thought  that  it  can  be  said  that  a  life  has 
been  lived  successfully  if,  when  it  passes  out,  we  can 
say  of  the  person,  as  we  can  say  of  this  dear  friend  of 
mine  and  of  yours : 

"The  night  is  darker  because  his  light  is  gone  out; 
The  world  is  not  so  warm  because  his  heart  is  cold  in 
death. ' ' 

From  Greensboro  Daily  Record 

The  most  touching  incident  and  one  that  showed 
louder  than  any  blare  of  trumpet  was  the  fact  that 
last  night  on  the  arrival  of  Mr.  Bryan  and  during 
his  journey  to  the  place  of  speaking  there  was  scarcely 
a  cheer,  caused  by  the  respect  for  the  late  Dr.  Mclver, 

27 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVEB 


whose  death  east  so  deep  a  shadow  over  the  whole  city 
and  country.  It  takes  something  to  keep  people  from 
going  wild  at  the  sight  of  Bryan.  No  greater  tribute 
could  be  offered  to  the  lamented  President  than  this. 

WITH    TEAE- DIMMED    EYES 
From  Greensboro  Patriot 

A  message  that  enshrouded  the  State  in  gloom  and 
spread  a  pall  of  sorrow  over  the  entire  city  of  Greens- 
boro was  flashed  over  the  wires  from  Hillsboro  between 
four  and  five  o'clock  Monday  afternoon.  It  an- 
nounced the  sudden  death  of  Dr.  Charles  Duncan 
Mclver,  President  of  the  State  Normal  and  Industrial 
College  here,  and  one  of  the  foremost  educators  of  the 
South.  People  were  slow  to  credit  the  shocking  news. 
It  was  difficult  to  realize  that  such  a  strong  man  was 
cut  down  in  his  prime  and  at  the  height  of  his  useful- 
ness, but  it  was  all  too  true. 

Last  night  (Tuesday,  September  18)  Dr.  Mclver 's 
body  lay  in  state  from  7  :00  until  10  :00  at  the  main 
building  of  the  State  Normal  and  Industrial  College, 
and  hundreds  of  people,  including  many  old  and  new 
students  of  the  Institution  gathering  for  the  opening 
Thursday,  viewed  it  with  tear-dimmed  eyes.  Today  at 
11 :00  o'clock  the  funeral  will  take  place  from  the  First 
Presbyterian  Church,  of  which  the  deceased  had  long 
been  a  member.  His  pastor  for  so  many  years,  Rev. 
E.  W.  Smith,  D.  D.,  now  of  Louisville,  Ky.,  cannot 

28 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVEE 


reach  the  city  in  time  for  the  service,  and  Rev.  L.  W. 
Crawford,  D.  D.,  of  Reidsville,  likewise  a  staunch 
personal  friend  of  long  standing,  will  officiate,  assisted 
by  the  Presbyterian  ministers  of  the  city.  The  Masonic 
orders  of  Winston  and  Greensboro  will  participate  in 
the  services. 

To  give  expression  to  the  eulogies  of  the  deceased 
heard  on  every  hand  would  require  many  times  the 
space  at  our  command.  Beyond  question  he  was  the 
foremost  citizen  of  Greensboro.  In  his  zeal  to  promote 
education  in  a  practical  manner  he  neglected  none  of 
the  other  duties  of  life  and  no  worthy  cause  ever 
lacked  his  support.  Enthusiasm  and  far-sighted 
ability  characterized  his  every  act,  no  matter  in  what 
cause  his  energies  were  enlisted.  His  influence  on 
the  educational  life  of  the  State  will  be  longest  felt, 
however,  because  first  of  all  he  was  an  educator  in 
the  truest  sense  of  the  word.  Truly  the  College  which 
he  virtually  established  and  over  whose  destinies  he 
has  since  so  ably  presided  is  an  enduring  monument 
to  his  memory. 


29 


LAID  TO  REST  BY  LOVING 
FRIENDS 


From  The  Raleigh  News  and  Observer 

The  funeral  of  Dr.  Charles  D.  Mclver,  late  Presi- 
dent of  the  State  Normal  and  Industrial  College,  took 
place  today,  Wednesday,  September  19,  amid  unprec- 
edented marks  of  respect,  affection  and  esteem. 
Every  business  house  of  whatever  kind  was  closed, 
the  schools  and  factories  during  the  two  hours  of  the 
ceremony,  and  the  Superior  Court  adjourned  for  the 
time.  From  this  and  other  States  had  come  a  great 
many  personal  and  educational  friends,  besides  repre- 
sentatives of  various  interests  in  which  he  had  been 
officially  connected  in  the  educational  and  philan- 
thropical  fields  of  endeavor.  Out  of  town  members  of 
the  Children's  Home  Society,  presidents  of  colleges 
and  universities  and  officials  of  his  own  great 
Woman's  University,  were  here. 

The  First  Presbyterian  Church,  of  which  Dr. 
Mclver  was  a  member,  was  filled  to  overflowing  and 
the  chancel  was  banked  with  floral  offerings  sent  from 
friends  and  loved  ones  from  all  over  the  State  and 
from  other  States. 

An  immense  concourse  followed  the  remains  to  the 

tomb,  at  Green  Hill  Cemetery,  where  the  Masons  laid 

him  finally  to  rest  with  the  impressive  ritual  of  the 

Order. 

30 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVER 


Fr^om  Greensboro  Telegram,  September  19, 1906 

In  the  presence  of  an  inmiense  concourse  of  sorrow- 
ful relatives  and  friends,  the  funeral  of  Dr.  Charles 
Duncan  Mclver,  the  lamented  President  of  the  State 
Normal  and  Industrial  College,  was  held  at  11 :00 
o  'clock  this  morning  in  the  First  Presbyterian  Church, 
of  which  the  deceased  had  been  a  consecrated  member 
for  a  number  of  years.  Every  seat  in  the  spacious 
church  and  annex  was  occupied  and  a  great  many 
stood  in  the  side  aisles  and  doors,  while  hundreds  of 
others  were  unable  to  gain  admittance. 

Never  before  was  a  funeral  service  in  Greensboro 
so  largely  attended,  nor  greater  respect  shown  to 
the  memory  of  a  departed  citizen.  Business  through- 
out the  city  was  almost  entirely  suspended  from  10  :30 
until  12:00  o'clock,  and  all  Greensboro  folk  joined  in 
honoring  the  deceased.  The  funeral  cortege  was  one 
of  the  longest,  if  not  the  longest,  ever  seen  here,  being 
at  least  half  a  mile  in  length,  and  included  not  only  a 
great  throng  of  citizens  with  bowed  heads  and  crushed 
and  bleeding  hearts,  but  also  many  prominent  men 
and  women  from  different  parts  of  this  and  other 
States. 

From  Greensboro  Industrial  News,  Sept.  20,  1906 

In  the  city  from  which  radiated  his  life's  work  the 
body  of  Charles  Duncan  Mclver  was  on  yesterday 
consigned  to  its  last  resting  place. 

31 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVEB 


From  near  and  far  men  of  prominence  had  gathered 
together  to  do  honor  to  the  memory  of  him  who  had 
so  enshrined  himself  in  the  heart  of  all  North  Caro- 
linians. The  stillness  of  death  hung  over  the  city. 
Closed  doors  and  lowered  shades  marked  the  business 
streets  through  which  slowly  passed  the  funeral  line. 
Men  and  women  instinctively  felt  the  solemnity  of 
the  hour,  and  reverently  turned  aside  from  worldly 
occupations  to  join  in  the  obsequies. 

Never  before  had  the  city  so  felt  a  personal  loss  in 
death  of  one  of  its  citizens. 

To  the  State  Doctor  Mclver  was  to  a  large  degree 
the  incarnation  of  an  idea — the  educational  uplift- 
ing of  the  people — by  the  education  of  the  children, 
especially  the  girls  of  the  State. 

To  the  people  of  Greensboro  Doctor  Mclver  was  this, 
but  he  was  more.  He  had  for  years  dwelt  among  us. 
Thoroughly  had  he  identified  himself  with  our  local 
affairs,  our  local  need,  our  local  ambitions ;  and  almost 
we  forgot  that  a  great  educator  had  passed  away  in 
our  grief  over  the  loss  of  a  friend. 

His  body  now  rests  peacefully  on  the  breast  of  the 
old  Mother  State  that  he  so  loved  and  to  whom  he  had 
rendered  such  splendid  service ;  but  we  feel  that  only 
his  body  rests  and  that  his  soul  is  still  marching  as  it 
marched  of  yore,  in  the  forefront  of  the  vanguard  of 
that  great  army  of  men  and  women  who  are  battling 
for  the  uplift  of  North  Carolina. 


32 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVEB 


FUNERAL  SERMON  BY  REV.  L.  W.  CRAWFORD,  D.  D. 

"Then  this  Daniel  was  preferred  above  the  presidents 
and  princes,  because  an  excellent  spirit  was  in  him. ' ' — 
Daniel  6:  3. 

The  elements  that  constitute  true  manhood,  real 
nobility,  supreme  excellence,  have  been  the  same  in 
all  ages  of  the  world.  Modes  of  life  may  vary,  customs 
may  change,  educative  processes  may  differ,  but  that 
which  determines  the  value  and  worth  of  men  in  all 
countries,  under  all  forms  of  civilization  and  among 
all  races  is,  to  a  large  extent,  the  same.  Let  me  call 
your  attention  for  a  moment  to  the  qualities  that  seem 
to  me  essential  to  real  greatness  in  human  life  and 
character. 

I.  The  first  essential  is  the  power  of  vision:  the 
ability  to  see.  In  speaking  of  the  heathen  gods  the 
Scriptures  say,  "Eyes  have  they,  but  they  see  not." 
So  it  is  with  millions  of  people.  Our  Lord  said  of 
the  Jews  in  his  day,  "Seeing  they  see  not."  That  is, 
theirs  is  a  surface  view,  they  do  not  understand,  they 
do  not  comprehend.  The  function  of  sight  is  merely 
to  paint  on  the  retina  of  the  eye  a  photograph  of  an 
external  object;  but  true  vision  penetrates  its  depths, 
discovers  its  hidden  things,  grasps  its  whole  content 
with  its  resources  and  possibilities.  To  illustrate : 
Michael  Angelo  passing  along  a  highway  saw  a  block 
of  marble.  As  he  fastened  his  gaze  upon  it  he  said 
within  himself,  I  see  an  angel  in  that  marble.  He  had 
the  power  of  vision.    Hundreds  had  looked  upon  that 

33 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVEB 


stone  before,  but  had  seen  only  its  form  and  surface. 
Fulton  sat  quietly  in  his  home  meditating.  A  kettle 
of  water  hung  over  the  fire.  He  watched  the  lid  rise 
and  fall  as  the  steam  collected  and  escaped.  Thou- 
sands had  watched  the  same  thing  without  a  thought 
of  what  it  meant.  Fulton  was  a  seer,  he  had  the 
power  of  vision.  His  eye  penetrated  beneath  the  sur- 
face and  he  saw  there  the  principle  and  power  of  con- 
densed steam,  the  knowledge  and  application  of  which 
was  later  to  revolutionize  the  industrial  world.  Sir 
Isaac  Newton,  the  great  astronomer,  saw  an  apple 
fall  from  the  limb  of  a  tree  to  the  ground — a  common- 
place occurrence  which  millions  had  witnessed  before. 
But  Newton  had  the  power  of  vision,  and  in  the  fall- 
ing apple  he  discovered  the  law  of  gravitation  that 
controls  the  movement  of  every  mote  that  floats  in  the 
air,  and  guides  every  planet  in  its  orbit,  and  holds  in 
its  place  every  system  of  suns  and  stars  that  make 
up  the  great  universe. 

Daniel,  to  whom  reference  is  made  in  the  text,  had 
both  sight  and  vision.  He  lived  at  a  period  before  the 
Sun  of  Righteousness  had  fully  shined  upon  the  world 
and  given  to  man  a  knowledge  of  higher,  better  and 
diviner  things.  He  was  reared  in  a  kingdom  and 
country  where  wealth  and  power  were  deified  and 
worshipped.  He  lived  in  great  and  mighty  Babylon, 
Avhose  hundred  and  twenty  provinces,  whose  mighty 
rivers  and  lofty  mountains  and  rich  valleys,  whose 
walled  cities,  hanging  gardens  and  towers  and  palaces, 
had  made  her  the  wonder  and  admiration  of  the  world. 

34 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVER 


Like  others  he  looked  Avith  pride  and  pleasure  on  these 
things,  but  with  a  seer's  eye,  with  a  prophet's  ken,  he 
set  them  in  their  right  relation  to  their  Creator.  On 
hill  and  valley  he  saw  the  footprints  of  God.  He  saw 
His  hand  guiding  the  course  of  nature  and  shaping 
the  destiny  of  empires.  There  came  to  him  the  con- 
sciousness that  all  is  unsubstantial  and  fleeting  that 
is  not  allied  to  God;  that  all  is  vanity  that  does  not 
lead  to  him;  that  the  world  passeth  away  and  the 
the  things  thereof,  but  the  Lord  abideth  forever.  He 
felt  the  need  of  His  touch,  the  inspiration  of  His  Spirit, 
the  inflow  of  His  life  and  power.  He  began  to  seek 
after  God.  Day  by  day  he  turned  his  thought  to  the 
fountain  of  life.  Day  by  day  he  sought  communion 
with  the  unseen.  Three  times  each  day,  the  record  is, 
he  turned  aside  from  office  and  toil  that  in  his  closet  he 
might  feel  after  Him  and  ally  himself  to  the  source 
of  all  life  and  power.  In  the  heart  and  head  and 
spirit  of  His  servant  the  light  and  truth  and  power 
of  God  began  to  pulsate,  and  thus  it  was  that  "this 
Daniel  was  preferred  above  all  the  presidents  and 
princes  because  an  excellent  spirit  was  in  him. ' '  Then 
all  Babylon  realized  that  a  new  ruler  had  come  to 
the  throne,  and  that  all  the  material  wealth  and  splen- 
dor of  the  great  capitol  were  not  to  be  compared  in 
value  to  the  wisdom  and  power,  the  faith  and  right- 
eousness of  Daniel. 

II.  The  second  essential  to  true  greatness  is  ability 
and  willingness  to  serve.  Vision  penetrates,  compre- 
hends and  grasps,  but,  if  it  does  no  more,  little  is 

35 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVEB 


accomplished.  There  must  also  be  ability  to  materi- 
alize, to  organize,  to  project  and  control.  Vision  gives 
an  ideal  and  it  may  be  perfect  and  exalted,  but  unless 
the  ideal  is  made  the  actual  it  is  worth  little  to  the 
author  or  to  the  world.  To  one  who  toils  without 
vision  the  task  is  heavy  and  burdensome.  If  one  has 
a  vision  of  what  ought  to  be  and  does  not  throw  him- 
self into  it,  if  one  has  an  ideal  and  cannot  convert  it 
into  the  actual,  he  is  a  dreamer  and  not  a  master. 
It  is  only  when  the  seer  becomes  the  worker,  when  the 
ideal  is  clothed  with  form  and  fashioned  into  being, 
that  humanity  is  greatly  benefited. 

When  Michael  Angelo  called  the  angel  from  the 
marble,  converted  the  ideal  into  the  actual,  clothed  it 
with  form  and  it  stood  forth  perfect  in  outline  and 
feature,  then  the  world  felt  the  throb  of  his  powder 
and  the  inspiration  of  his  genius.  When  Fulton 
applied  the  principle  of  condensed  steam  to  machinerj' 
and  locomotion,  then  the  power  and  genius  of  the 
man  thrilled  all  men  with  their  greatness.  When 
Daniel  in  Babylon  had  a  vision  of  divine  things  he 
was  considered  a  dreamer,  but  when  the  life  and 
power  and  wisdom  of  God  were  actualized  in  his  own 
being,  when  through  his  heart  and  brain  and  spirit 
these  divine  elements  began  to  express  themselves  and 
touch  the  lives  of  men,  solve  the  problems  of  govern- 
ment, enrich  the  thought  of  the  world  and  profoundly 
impress  humanity  and  elevate  peoples,  races  and 
nations,  then  the  real  value  of  Daniel  was  recognized 
and  understood.    Then  it  was  that  the  king,  the  court, 

36 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVEB 


the  presidents  and  princes  willingly  gave  him  the 
preeminence. 

The  power  of  vision  and  the  ability  and  willingness 
to  serve  are  always  and  everywhere  the  real  test  of 
human  greatness.  When  we  come  to  measure  our 
departed  friend  by  this  standard,  when  we  apply  this 
test  to  his  life  and  character,  how  really  great  does 
he  appear!  May  I  not  say  that  in  his  sphere,  in  his 
chosen  field,  he  was  peerless — that  he  was  above  all 
presidents  and  princes  because  of  the  spirit  within 
him? 

Does  anyone  who  knew  Charles  D.  Mclver  doubt  for 
a  moment  that  he  was  a  seer,  a  prophet  ?  None.  That 
he  had  the  power  of  vision  and  saw  angels  and  mighty 
forces  where  others  saw  only  stones  and  apples? 
Years  ago  he  saw  with  prophetic  eye,  he  discerned 
with  a  master  spirit,  and  penetrated  beneath  the  sur- 
face of  things.  He  had  a  vision  clear  and  well  defined, 
a  perfect  ideal. 

As  he  went  throughout  his  native  State,  whose  every 
foot  of  soil  was  sacred  and  dear,  and  in  whose  indus- 
trial, educational  and  religious  progress  he  felt  the 
deepest  interest,  he  saw  her  vast  material  resources 
and  the  infinite  possibilities  of  her  people.  He  believed 
that  North  Carolina  could  be  made  one  of  the  first 
states  in  our  great  republic,  whose  influence  for 
good  would  be  felt  throughout  the  nation  and  the 
world.  He  saw  with  others  that  the  solution  of  this 
problem  was  in  popular  Chris*tian  education,  but  it 
was  his  own  peculiar  vision  that  this  work  could  be 

37 


CHARLES   DUNCAN    McIVER 


best  accomplished,  this  end  soonest  realized,  by  put- 
ting in  every  home  the  highest  type  of  womanhood. 
Give  the  State  mothers  educated,  refined  and  Christ- 
like, he  said,  and  all  her  material,  social,  educational, 
economic  and  religious  problems  will  be  solved,  her 
development  and  progress  will  be  steady,  and  her 
position  and  fame  be  secured  for  all  time  to  come.  This 
conviction  came  to  him  with  overwhelming  power,  and 
though  Herculean  seemed  the  task,  he  set  about  its 
accomplishment  in  sober  earnestness.  His  highest 
aspiration  henceforth  was  to  be  obedient  to  the  Heav- 
enly vision ;  the  one  purpose  that  dominated  his  life 
was  to  finish  the  work  God  gave  him  to  do.  He  was 
no  idle  dreamer,  but  a  man  with  a  genius  for  work  and 
ability  to  grasp  and  master  the  situation.  His  ener- 
gies were  first  directed  towards  creating  and  strength- 
ening public  sentiment,  Avhich  he  crystalized  and  con- 
centrated upon  centers  of  influence.  The  State  soon 
felt  the  power  of  the  man  and  responded  to  his  splen- 
did leadership  with  such  sympathy  and  generosity 
that  ere  long  the  cherished  dream  of  his  heart  stood 
forth  a  living  reality. 

We  are  accustomed  to  speak  of  the  State  Normal 
and  Industrial  College  as  Dr.  Mclver's  monument. 
Largely  it  is,  and  one  that  will  endure  and  continue 
to  give  glory  to  his  name  and  light  to  the  Common- 
wealth. But  this  is  only  one  feature  of  his  great  work. 
His  chief  monument  is  in  the  hearts  and  lives  of  the 
people  and  in  the  present  advanced  position  of  his 
State.     Governors,  legislators,  judges,  teachers,  state 

38 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVEB 


and  denominational  schools  and  colleges,  and  the 
humblest  citizen  as  well,  felt  the  magnetism  of  his 
personality  and  the  inspiration  of  his  enthusiasm.  The 
three  thousand  girls  who  have  come  under  his  guard- 
ianship have  caught  his  spirit,  and  gone  out  with  his 
ideals,  and  the  two  hundred  thousand  pupils  to  whom 
they  have  communicated  these  have  been  enriched 
and  uplifted  thereby.  Nor  were  his  works  and  influ- 
ence limited  by  state  lines.  As  the  years  went  by  the 
circle  of  his  influence  widened,  until  his  life  pulsated 
through  our  southland  and  many  northern  states  also 
were  benefited  by  his  energy  and  wisdom.  His  services 
were  more  and  more  in  demand,  and  he  willingly  gave 
his  time  and  strength  wherever  he  could  help  the  cause 
he  loved.  As  evidence  of  the  love  and  esteem  in  which 
he  is  held,  this  city  is  today  in  sackcloth  and  ashes, 
our  commonwealth  is  bowed  in  grief  and  sorrow  and 
in  every  state  of  the  Union  many  mourn  his  departure 
as  a  national  loss. 

III.  One  other  fact  I  must  mention.  The  life  and 
usefulness  of  a  good  man  do  not  end  with  a  few  years 
on  earth.  Man's  immortality  is  clearly  taught  in 
God's  word.  That  we  should  live  not  for  this  world 
alone  Christ  emphasized  in  all  his  earthly  teachings. 
He  impressed  the  fact  that  to  man  the  world  is  a 
school  house  where  we  are  to  learn  a  few  lessons,  a 
stage  where  for  a  time  we  are  to  act  our  part,  a  field 
for  investigation  and  research,  but  surely  not  our 
home  or  abiding  place,  nor  the  field  for  the  highest 
achievement. 

39 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVER 


That  wonderful  man,  Moses,  the  great  statesman 
and  lawgiver  of  Israel,  who  broke  the  yoke  of  Egyp- 
tian bondage  and  led  the  people  through  all  the  educa- 
tive processes  of  the  wilderness  journey,  came  at  last 
to  the  borders  of  the  promised  land.  There,  on  the 
summit  of  Pisgah,  God  met  and  talked  with  him.  He 
showed  him  the  hills  and  valleys  of  that  goodly  land, 
and  then  said,  "Moses,  you  have  done  enough,  come 
up  higher."  And  with  eye  undimmed,  and  his 
natural  force  unabated,  he  at  once  entered  upon  a 
larger  sphere  of  action  beyond. 

Elijah,  the  wonder  working  prophet  of  Israel,  who 
lived  so  near  to  God  that  he  shut  up  the  heavens  that 
it  did  not  rain  for  three  years,  and  called  down  fire 
from  Heaven  to  consume  the  sacrifice  and  altar  on 
Mount  Carmel,  was  also  the  great  educator  of  the 
nation,  the  very  life  of  the  schools  of  the  prophets  at 
Bethel  and  Gilgal  and  Jericho.  One  day  while  busy 
with  his  life's  work,  active,  strong  and  brave,  there 
met  him  on  the  highway  a  chariot  of  fire  and  horses 
of  flame,  and  in  an  instant  he  was  translated  from 
earthly  labor  to  higher  service  above. 

We  can  but  recall  in  connection  with  these  scenes 
that  of  the  transfiguration  of  Christ.  As  He  stood 
on  Mount  Hermon  glorified.  His  face  shining  with 
the  brightness  of  the  noonday  sun.  His  very  garments 
white  and  glistening,  His  humanity  swallowed  up  in 
the  glory  of  His  divinity,  the  heavens  opened  and 
there  came  forth  Moses  and  Elijah  wrapped  in  celes- 
tial light,  leading  the  angelic  hosts.     There,  in  full 

40 


CHARLES   DUNCAN    McIVER 


possession  of  all  their  powers,  they  talked  with  Christ 
concerning  the  things  that  should  shortly  take  place 
at  Jerusalem,  as  though  they  had  part  in  the  very 
councils  of  heaven.  Surely  death  but  opens  the  door 
into  real  life. 

How  like  Moses  was  our  departed  brother,  in  that 
patiently  and  heroically  he  struggled  and  toiled  to 
lead  the  people  out  of  the  bondage  of  ignorance  into 
the  liberty  of  light  and  knowledge.  The  march 
through  the  wilderness  was  ended,  and  the  promised 
land  in  sight.  A  sword  was  in  his  hand,  a  crown  upon 
his  brow,  when  God  said,  "Come  up  higher."  With 
eye  undimmed  and  natural  force  unabated,  he  laid 
down  his  work  on  earth  that  he  might  enter  upon  a 
grander  work  above. 

Carrying,  like  Elijah,  the  great  cause  of  education 
on  his  heart,  full  of  life  and  zeal  and  courage,  he  was 
busy  and  absorbed  in  the  opening  of  the  schools  of 
the  land.  Ever  ready,  as  was  his  wont,  to  minister 
to  others  and  to  contribute  his  part  to  the  public 
welfare,  he  left  his  home  on  the  morning  of  Septem- 
ber 17th  in  company  with  friends,  to  do  honor  to  the 
foremost  private  citizen  of  our  nation.  As  always,  so 
on  this  occasion,  he  had  performed  well  his  part. 
The  day  had  been  a  glorious  triumph,  a  succession  of 
brilliant  events.  The  sun  had  crossed  the  meridian, 
and,  slowly  sinking  in  the  west,  cast  his  glory  athwart 
valley  and  hill.  The  happy  company  was  homeward 
bound.  Was  it  not  a  fitting  hour  for  the  departure  of 
our  friend?     Speeding  o'er  the  great  highway  on  a 

41 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVER 


mission  of  unselfish  helpfulness  to  others,  surrounded 
by  men  of  state,  himself  second  only  to  the  guest  of 
honor,  in  the  inner  circle  of  whose  affections  he  filled 
so  large  a  place,  in  the  prime  and  vigor  of  a  splendid 
manhood,  planning  larger  things  for  his  state  and 
nation,  God  called  him,  a  chariot  appeared,  and  in  a 
moment  Charles  D.  Mclver  was  promoted  from  work 
on  earth  to  higher  service  above,  where  instant  vision 
is  perfect  joy  and  immortal  labor  eternal  rest.  Servant 
of  God,  well  done. 

Let  us  catch  his  spirit,  emulate  his  example,  take  up 
his  work  and  carry  it  forward. 

With  our  loins  girt  about  and  our  lamps  trimmed 
and  burning,  let  us  be  ready  to  answer  to  the  call 
when  our  summons  comes. 


42 


PRESS  TRIBUTES 


From  Greensboro  Telegram 

Calmer  thought  on  the  death  of  Dr.  Charles  D. 
Mclver  serves  only  to  increase  the  sense  of  loss — loss 
to  the  College,  the  City,  the  State  and  the  educational 
life  of  the  Nation.  Naturally  we  feel  most  keenly 
the  loss  to  the  City.  Was  there  ever  quite  so  enthusi- 
astic a  Greensboro-lover  as  Dr.  Mclver?  The  College, 
of  course,  was  first  with  him,  and  then  came  his  pro- 
found concern  about  the  record  and  the  future  of 
the  State  educationally.  But  in  a  temperament  so 
ardent  there  was  love  and  zeal  in  other  directions, 
and  Greensboro  and  its  future  as  a  live,  hustling 
metropolis  of  the  Piedmont  region  lay  very  close  to  his 
heart.  All  remember  the  active  and  important  part 
he  took  in  the  arrangements  for  the  Reunion.  Like- 
wise all  know  how  in  every  public  meeting  looking 
to  the  city's  good  he  was  a  moving  spirit.  With  his 
ability  to  arouse  other  people,  he  was  a  power  in  every 
undertaking.  The  loss  to  the  city  by  his  death  is 
great  indeed. 

And  the  personal  loss  to  those  whom  he  met  only 
occasionally  is  great,  very  great.  Dr.  Mclver 's  was 
an  energizing,  stimulating  personality.  No  reasonably 
responsive  person  came  within  range  of  him  without 


43 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   MclVEB 


feeling  the  electrifying  thrill  of  his  wonderful  energy. 
To  hear  him  talk  was  to  be  challenged  to  think  and  to 
think  with  all  the  precision  and  thoroughness  one 
could  muster.  He  was  no  man  of  the  cloister.  He  was  a 
man  among  men.  No  activity  of  any  kind  was  there 
that  did  not  interest  him  and  bristle  with  truths  and 
suggestions  for  him  to  gather.  So  it  was  that  he 
had  a  wide  acquaintance  with  all  sorts  and  conditions 
of  men. 

And  all  who  knew  him  mourn  him  sincerely. 

From  The  Weekly  Tar  Heel,  Greenshoro 

It  was  a  sad  day  that  took  from  this  life  Dr.  Charles 
D.  Mclver.  He  was  one  of  the  best  and  most  valuable 
men  in  North  Carolina.  He  lived  for  humanity.  His 
life's  work  has  been  for  the  good  of  his  fellow  beings, 
for  their  elevation  and  advancement.  No  man  has 
done  more  for  education  than  he,  and  easily  he  was 
the  leading  educator  of  the  State.  His  place  in  the 
educational  field  will  be  hard  to  fill. 

From  Raleigh  News  and  Observer 

The  sudden  death  of  Dr.  Charles  D.  Mclver,  Presi- 
dent of  the  State  Normal  and  Industrial  College, 
which  occurred  on  his  way  home  on  the  Bryan  special 
train  yesterday  afternoon,  is  in  every  sense  a  deep 
calamity  to  a  people  he  has  served  with  brilliancy  and 
with  unceasing  energy  and  devotion.     The  State  of 

44 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVEB 


North  Carolina,  the  Nomial  and  Industrial  College, 
and  the  cause  of  education  in  the  South  have  suffered 
a  loss  which  it  will  be  impossible  to  repair. 

Charles  D.  Mclver  was  the  best  type  of  Southern 
manhood.  His  faith  was  profound,  his  courage  uncon- 
querable and  his  capacity  for  labor  apparently  a  thing 
that  had  no  limit  when  the  interests  which  he  held 
dear  were  concerned.  He  was  of  massive  brain  and 
electric  personality.  Easily  of  national  size,  he  pre- 
ferred to  stay  in  North  Carolina  and  devote  his  genius 
to  her  educational  advancement.  The  Normal  and 
Industrial  College  was  in  many  respects  the  child  of 
his  creation,  and  no  parent  loved  a  child  better  than 
he  did  the  institution  over  which  he  presided,  and 
which  owes  to  him,  more  than  to  any  other  single 
force,  its  high  position  as  one  of  the  chief  glories  of 
the  State. 

Tal^en  in  the  flush  of  vigorous  manhood,  with  no 
intimation  of  the  summons,  with  a  brilliant  life  appar- 
ently unfolding  into  a  more  brilliant  future,  his 
death  is  one  of  those  apparent  inconsistencies  of 
nature  which  give  to  the  deepest  grief  an  added  pang. 
He  had  done  so  much  that  his  need  had  become  impera- 
tive. No  man  could  have  left  behind  him  more  sorrow 
or  better  memory. 

From  Charlotte  Observer 

The  news  of  the  death  of  Br.  Charles  Duncan 
]\lclver  will  carry  a  shock  from  one  end  of  the  State 

45 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVER 


to  the  other.  He  was  known  in  person  in  almost 
every  county,  and  we  shall  think  that  in  all  the  work 
he  has  done  for  the  State  the  best  was  when  he  and 
Dr.  Alderman  toured  it  in  summers  agone  and 
addressed  teachers'  institutes — and  educated  not  more 
the  teachers  than  the  people.  Almost  certainly  the 
revival  of  the  interest  in  education  in  the  State  could  be 
traced  to  these  county  institutes  and  to  the  direction 
and  addresses  of  these  two  brilliant  young  men.  After 
this  period  Dr.  Mclver  became  the  head  of  the  Normal 
and  Industrial  College  of  the  State.  Through  this 
instrumentality  he  has  done  unspeakably  for  the 
young  women  of  North  Carolina.  Upon  the  subject 
of  education  he  was  an  enthusiast ;  an  always  rational, 
intelligent  enthusiast.  No  man  in  our  history  has  done 
more  to  forward  it.  His  own  institution,  the 
institution  which,  one  will  say,  was  born  to  him, 
which  he  nursed  and  fostered,  was  the  object  of  his 
special  and  natural  affection,  but  in  the  whole  field  he 
was  a  champion,  an  advocate,  and  in  his  death  the 
cause  has  lost  a  stalwart  friend.  It  will  be  difficult 
to  fill  the  vacancy  which  his  death  has  created.  It 
was  a  proper  tribute  paid  him  at  Greensboro  last 
evening,  that  there  was  no  political  address,  but  that 
the  meeting  was  made  one  of  memorial.  Had  he  lived 
until  the  twenty-seventh  of  this  month  Dr.  Mclver 
would  have  been  forty-six  years  of  age.  He  died  too 
young — before  his  life  work  was  nearly  completed. 


46 


CHARLES    DUNCAN   McIVER 


From  Charlotte  News 

It  is  with  a  feeling  of  deep  regret  and  sadness  that 
the  people  of  our  State  hear  of  the  sudden  taking 
away  of  Dr.  Charles  Duncan  Melver,  President  of 
the  State  Normal  College  at  Greensboro.  Dr.  Melver 
might  be  classed  among  the  foremost,  if  not  the  fore- 
most educator  of  North  Carolina,  and  his  reputation 
was  of  national  extent.  His  service  to  the  cause  of 
education,  most  especially  that  of  young  ladies,  can- 
not be  estimated.  For  a  number  of  years  he  has 
wrought  valiantly  in  the  interest  of  the  State  Normal 
College  and  the  fruits  of  his  labors  are  to  be  seen  on 
every  hand.  Next  to  his  work  along  this  line,  might  be 
considered  the  extensive  good  he  accomplished  when  a 
few  years  ago  he  toured  the  State  speaking  at  Teach- 
ers' Institutes.  By  this  means  he  was  instrumental 
in  bringing  about  a  renaissance  of  interest  in  the 
subject  of  education  never  wrought  before.  He  had 
the  best  interests  of  the  boys  and  girls  at  heart,  of 
all  of  them,  and  his  service  to  them  will  continue  to 
bear  fruit  long  after  his  body  shall  have  returned  to 
dust.    His  death  is  the  State's  loss. 

From   Wilmington  Messenger 

Mr.  Bryan's  triumphal  tour  of  the  State  was  changed 
into  a  funeral  procession  from  Durham  to  Greensboro 
because  of  the  sudden  death  on  the  special  train  of 
President  Charles  D.  Melver,  of  the  State  Normal  and 
Industrial  College.    It  was  a  sad  event  indeed.    Under 

47 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVER 


any  circumstances  the  death  of  this  man,  one  of  the 
most  prominent  citizens  of  the  State  and  one  of  her 
leading  educators,  would  have  brought  grief  to  his 
host  of  friends,  but  especially  distressing  was  it  on 
such  an  occasion.  Mr.  Bryan  put  aside  the  role  of 
politician  and  stepped  down  from  the  position  of  his 
party's  leader  to  kneel  beside  the  lifeless  body  of  a 
friend  loved  and  admired,  who  had  been  stricken  unto 
death  while  joining  with  other  admirers,  and  friends 
of  the  great  man  to  do  him  honor  and  give  him  hearty 
welcome  to  their  State.  It  was  sad  indeed  that  death 
should  have  intruded  upon  that  joyous  assemblage 
of  leading  men  of  our  State  who  had  gathered  to  do 
honor  to  the  man  who  is  the  recognized  national  leader 
of  his  party.  Still  sadder  is  it  to  the  State  that  death 
should  have  marked  for  its  own  one  who  was  doing 
such  noble  work  for  the  education  and  uplifting  of 
the  young  women  of  our  State.  It  will  be  difficult  for 
the  State  to  fill  his  place  as  President  of  the  Normal 
College.  He  was  thoroughly  capable  and  his  heart 
and  soul  were  in  the  work  that  had  been  intrusted 
to  him.  He  loved  his  work  and  he  rejoiced  in  the 
results  of  that  work,  which  were  in  evidence  through- 
out the  length  and  breadth  of  our  State  wherever  a 
graduate  of  his  College  was  to  be  found. 

From  New  Bern  Journal 

The  Supreme  Being  grants  to  few  men  such  a  fitting 
and   glorious   closing   to   life   as   was   given   Charles 

48 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVEB 


Duncan  Mclver.  Many  men  perform  noble  work  in 
their  lives  on  earth,  but  some  cloud,  some  slight 
obstacle,  arises  to  disturb  or  in  a  degree  mar  their  final 
efforts.  To  Dr.  Mclver  was  given  energy,  genius,  the 
strength  for  hard  and  persistent  work,  combined  with 
natural  and  moral  characteristics  which  made  him  a 
natural  leader.  Genial,  whole-souled,  there  was  in  him 
the  irresistible  personality  of  a  Man.  During  no 
period  of  his  life  was  his  personality  so  strong  as  at 
the  hour  when  the  Divine  call  sounded.  His  work 
was  always  finished,  although  each  new  hour  and  day 
presented  rich  opportunities  for  his  efforts,  and  no 
hour  or  day  was  wasted.  It  was  given  this  great  man, 
the  genius,  the  ability  to  round  out  his  work,  as  few 
men  can,  so  that  what  he  did  was  both  well  done  and 
finished.  And  so  called  suddenly  from  his  life's  work 
to  a  life  greater  and  more  reaching,  Charles  Duncan 
Mclver  could  pass  away  with  no  regrets  of  work  left 
undone.  He  could  have  done  much  more,  if  it  had 
been  the  wish  of  God  to  have  given  longer  life.  But 
to  North  Carolina,  the  death  of  Dr.  Mclver  seems 
beyond  measure  a  loss.  His  life  was  the  State's.  His 
work  was  for  the  people,  and  given  for  the  upbuild- 
ing, uplifting,  and  splendid  advancement  of  his  fel- 
lows. No  citizen  stood  closer  to  the  homes  in  North 
Carolina,  for-  it  was  through  his  mighty  work,  that 
woman's  work,  her  education  and  a  juster  and  clearer 
knowledge  of  her  value  and  worth  were  developed 
and  brought  forth.  In  such  a  life  as  has  just  passed 
beyond,  there  is  no  standard  of  measurement,  that  man 

49 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVEB 


can  employ.  Only  by  the  great  scales  of  the  Almighty 
can  the  computation  be  made.  Man  mourns,  saying 
the  loss  is  irreparable.  Yet  there  is  no  loss.  The 
State,  the  world  have  been  rich  gainers,  through  such 
a  life,  genius  for  good  as  it  was,  endowed  for  work 
as  it  was.  But  there  must  be  grief,  deep  and  poignant. 
There  must  be  tears  throughout  North  Carolina,  for  the 
sorrow  is  not  of  a  household,  not  of  a  single  city,  but 
of  a  great  people.  The  testimony  of  good  cannot  be 
limited  to  a  few.  He  was  the  friend  of  all,  and  his 
help  was  always  extended,  free,  sincere  and  generous. 
It  is  this  spirit  of  fellowship  which  endeared  Doctor 
Mclver  to  all,  and  so  today  his  friends  (and  every 
one  who  knew  him  was  his  friend)  mourn  their  loss 
as  one  family.  But  his  work  lies  not  buried.  The 
influences  which  he  has  started  will  find  ready  hands 
to  hold  up  and  carry  forward.  His  monument  will  be 
in  the  hearts  of  all,  and  his  work  visible  throughout 
the  coming  years.  His  memory  will  be  a  sacred  one 
to  every  North  Carolinian. 

From  N.  C.  Journal  of  Education 

"In  the  midst  of  life  we  are  in  death."  The  force 
of  this  truth  was  never  brought  closer  home  to  the 
hearts  of  us  all  than  when  the  news  of  the  sudden 
death  of  Dr.  Charles  D.  Mclver  flashed  over  the  wires 
on  the  afternoon  of  September  the  seventeenth. 

In  his  death  the  State  mourns  a  citizen,  worthy  in 
the   truest  sense   of  that  word,   for  his  was   a  life 

50 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVER 


devoted  to  public  service  of  whatever  kind.  Nor  is 
his  loss  confined  to  his  dear  "Old  North  State,"  for 
he  was  easily  a  national  figure  in  the  educational 
world. 

The  State  can  ill  afford  to  lose  him.  His  boundless 
energy,  his  zeal,  his  earnestness  of  purpose,  his  true 
patriotism,  his  love  of  and  loyalty  to  her  interests, 
made  for  him  a  place  in  the  life  of  the  State  impossi- 
ble to  be  filled. 

Especially  will  the  cause  of  public  education, 
whether  in  the  state  or  nation,  have  reason  to  mourn 
a  leader  gone.  Dr.  Mclver's  work  as  an  educator  will 
serve  as  an  everlasting  memorial  to  him.  During  his 
twenty-five  years  of  active  work  in  the  teaching  world 
he  has  been  moulding  educational  thought  in  the 
State  and,  when  the  history  of  the  great  educational 
revival  in  North  Carolina  comes  to  be  written,  his 
name  will  stand  foremost  among  the  promoters  of  the 
movement  for  the  education  of  all  the  people.  He  was 
truly  an  "educational  statesman,"  as  Dr.  Lyman 
Abbott  so  aptly  said  of  him.  He  was  the  first  to  see 
that  the  pivotal  point  in  our  educational  system  is  the 
training  of  the  women  of  our  State  for  educational 
service,  and  with  untiring  zeal  and  devotion  to  his 
ideal,  he  kept  it  before  the  people  until  they  were  con- 
vinced of  the  soundness  of  his  principle.  The  State 
Normal  and  Industrial  College  is  his  specific  work  and 
will  stand  as  a  monument  to  his  high  devotion  to  an 
idea  and  an  ideal.  The  hundreds  of  young  women 
who  have  come  in  touch  with  him  there  and  who  will 

51 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVEB 


still  come  in  touch  with  his  spirit  of  service,  will 
rise  up  and  call  him  "blessed"  who,  more  than  any 
other,  was  instrumental  in  opening  to  them  such 
opportunities  for  training  and  development  as  are 
given  at  this  noble  institution.  The  State  has  felt 
the  influence  of  his  work  as  "hundreds  of  teachers 
have  caught  from  his  presence  a  spirit  that  has  sent 
them  to  their  trying  work,  from  the  college  recitation 
room  to  the  humble  log  cabin  school  house  in  the  back- 
woods, with  hearts  afire  and  souls  inspired  to  render 
great  service  to  their  country  and  to  humanity,  car- 
ing naught  for  the  vast  personal  sacrifices  frequently 
involved. 

From  Asheville  Citizen 

North  Carolina  is  peculiarly  unfortunate  in  that 
many  of  her  valuable  sons  are  being  called  away 
within  a  short  time  of  each  other.  In  the  natural 
course  of  events  we  can  of  course  expect  that  sooner 
or  later  some  great  brain  will  cease  to  work,  and  the 
cords  of  some  noble  heart  will  snap  asunder.  Under 
such  circumstances  the  blow  falls  with  less  poignancy, 
but  when  a  light  of  the  world  is  suddenly  extinguished 
ere  its  mission  is  fulfilled,  it  is  hard  for  the  ordinary 
mortal  to  know  why  and  wherefore  such  catastrophes 
must  befall  us.  Charles  D.  Mclver,  President  of  the 
North  Carolina  Normal  and  Industrial  College,  at 
Greensboro,  was  suddenly  taken  away  yesterday.  This 
morning  the  State  is  poorer,  much  poorer,  because 
there  are  few  hands  capable  of  taking  up  the  work 

52 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVER 


he  had  not  fully  completed.  There  are  few  tongues 
in  North  Carolina,  if  in  the  entire  South,  which  will 
plead  the  cause  of  education  for  women  with  the  same 
burning  eloquence  that  Dr.  Mclver  proclaimed  it. 
Standing  for  the  elevation  of  womanhood  by  means 
of  proper  training  and  environments,  he  had  the  ear 
of  the  educational  forces  of  the  nation,  and  many  were 
the  flattering  offers  which  came  to  him  from  promi- 
nent institutions  in  distant  states.  But  his  heart  had 
taken  root  in  the  soil  of  the  Old  North  State,  and  his 
love  remained  true  to  the  great  Institution  which  grew 
up  under  his  hands.  The  Citizen  has  pleasant  recol- 
lections of  a  visit  from  Dr.  Mclver  a  short  time  ago, 
and  on  that  occasion  we  were  deeply  impressed  with 
the  earnestness  and  enthusiasm  of  the  great  educator. 
One  portion  of  his  conversation  we  distinctly  remem- 
ber. Reviewing  his  historic  fight  in  the  legislature  of 
1891  he  said :  ' '  Our  State  never  made  a  better  invest- 
ment than  the  annual  appropriation  which  makes  it 
possible  to  furnish  its  daughters  thfe  very  best  quality 
of  education  at  a  small  cost  to  the  individual. ' '  Well 
did  the  deceased  feel  that  in  securing  exceptional 
educational  facilities  for  young  women  he  was  paving 
the  way  for  a  better  generation,  for  he  believed  that 
the  elevation  of  womanhood  meant  the  elevation  of 
the  race.  "When  you  have  good  mothers,"  he  said 
to  The  Citizen,  "  you  have  a  good  nation."  No  greater 
truth  was  ever  spoken.  We  know  that  it  was  Dr. 
Mclver 's  wish  that  the  State  Normal  and  Industrial 
College  should  at  some  time  be  known  as  the  "North 

53 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVER 


Carolina  College  for  Women,"  and  it  would  be  a  fit- 
ting tribute  to  the  memory  of  the  great  and  good  man 
to  follow  out  his  wishes.    Requiescat  in  pace. 

From  Durham  Sun 

The  death  of  Dr.  Charles  D.  Mclver,  President  of 
the  State  Normal  and  Industrial  College,  which 
occurred  on  the  Bryan  special  train  yesterday  after- 
noon after  leaving  Durham,  is  heard  of  with  regret 
by  the  people  from  one  end  of  North  Carolina  to  the 
other.  The  State,  the  Normal  and  Industrial  College 
and  the  cause  of  education  in  the  South  have  suffered 
a  well  nigh  irreparable  loss.  Dr.  Mclver  was  the  best 
of  Southern  manhood.  He  was  a  man  of  profound 
faith,  unconquerable  courage,  and  unlimited  capacity 
for  work,  with  an  electric  personality,  and  possessed 
of  a  brain  of  great  intellectual  power.  His  memory 
will  be  long  cherished,  for  he  has  left  behind  him  a 
splendid  and  glorious  record. 

From  Charity  and  Children,  Thomasville 

The  death  of  Dr.  Charles  D.  Mclver  Monday  after- 
noon on  the  Bryan  train,  between  Durham  and 
Greensboro,  shocked  the  State,  for  his  name  is  a  house- 
hold word  among  our  people.  Mr.  Bryan  spoke  the 
truth  when  he  said,  "I  had  rather,  a  thousand  times, 
leave  the  world  what  Dr.  Mclver  has  left  it  than  to 
leave  John  D.   Rockefeller's  millions."   Indeed,   one 

54 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVER 


such  man  as  Charles  D.  Mclver  is  worth  all  the  mil- 
lionaires of  Wall  Street.  He  loved  North  Carolina 
and  consecrated  all  his  great  powers  to  her  service. 
He  was  among  the  foremost  educators  of  the  United 
States  and  we  mourn  his  untimely  death. 

From  Kinston  Free  Press 

In  the  death  of  President  Charles  D.  Mclver,  of 
the  State  Normal  and  Industrial  College,  North  Caro- 
lina sustains  a  loss  that  is  almost  irreparable.  Dr. 
Mclver  was  a  man  well  equipped,  vigorous  and  full 
of  energy.  He  had  a  sublime  faith  in  the  destiny  of 
his  State,  and  his  influence  in  guiding  it  along  the  way 
of  educational  progress  was  one  of  the  most  potent 
forces  for  good  that  has  ever  been  exerted  in  our 
midst.  Thousands  of  young  women,  throughout  our 
State  and  Southland,  Avill,  among  others,  grieve  over 
his  untimely  death.  He  conceived  the  idea  that  the 
best  and  surest  way  to  elevate  the  State  and  develop 
it  was  to  train  the  young  women  of  the  land,  and 
this  task  he  entered  upon  with  all  the  earnestness  of 
his  big,  manly  soul.  He  worked  nobly  in  his  chosen 
field,  and  the  impetus  his  life  and  labor  gave  to  our 
educational  development  will  eventually  place  it  high 
in  the  sisterhood  of  States.  Not  only  North  Carolina, 
but  the  whole  South  experiences  a  loss  when  men  of 
Dr.  Mclver 's  calibre  are  called  to  lay  down  their  work 
and  pass  into  the  great  beyond. 


55 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   MclVEB 


From  Webster's  Weekly,  Reidsville 

The  sudden  death  of  Dr.  Charles  D.  Melver,  Presi- 
dent of  the  State  Normal  and  Industrial  College,  has 
cast  a  gloom  over  the  whole  State.  Nothing  could  be 
more  pathetic  than  the  circumstances  under  which  the 
sad  event  occurred.  He  Avas  one  of  the  committee  of 
distinguished  citizens  who  formed  the  escort  to  Mr. 
Bryan  from  Greensboro  to  Raleigh,  and  entered 
heartily  into  the  spirit  of  the  occasion,  being  a  personal 
friend  and  warm  admirer  of  the  great  Nebraskan, 
and  upon  the  return  trip  home  was  stricken  with 
apoplexy,  dying  suddenly.  So  sudden  and  unexpected 
was  the  summons  that  strong  men  lost  control  of  them- 
selves and  gave  way  to  grief,  and  Mr.  Bryan  wept  as 
if  he  had  lost  one  bound  to  him  by  ties  of  blood  as  well 
as  friendship.  Greensboro  was  overwhelmed  by  the 
sad  bereavement,  and  when  the  train  bearing  the 
Bryan  party  arrived  in  the  city  what  would  under 
different  circumstances  have  been  an  ovation  to  the 
most  popular  leader  in  the  country,  was  turned  into 
a  silent  demonstration  of  respect  for  the  mortal 
remains  of  Greensboro's  most  useful  citizen.  Such 
a  spectacle  has  never  been  witnessed  in  North  Carolina 
before.  Dr.  McIver  was  easily  the  most  successful  and 
popular  educator  of  his  generation  in  this  State.  The 
State  Normal  and  Industrial  College  owes  its  existence 
to  him  more  than  to  any  other  man.  What  a  noble  man 
he  was !  How  broad  were  his  sympathies  and  how 
exalted  his  ideals !  Cut  down  in  the  prime  of  man- 

56 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVER 


hood,  when  the  State  needed  him  most — How  sad ! 
The  office  he  has  occupied  since  the  establishment  of 
the  State  Normal  and  Industrial  College  may  be  filled 
by  another,  but  his  place  in  the  confidence  and  affec- 
tion of  the  people  will  not  be  filled  for  years  to  come. 
Tlie  Weekly  offers  it  heartfelt  sympathy  to  the  stricken 
family.  He  was  one  of  this  paper's  truest  and  best 
friends. 

From  Lexington  Dispatch 

The  State's  loss  in  the  death  of  Dr.  Charles  D. 
Mclver  cannot  be  measured.  He  was  a  most  useful 
man,  big-brained,  big-hearted,  thoroughly  in  love  with 
his  great  work  and  a  true  son  of  North  Carolina. 
Tempted  by  many  times  the  salary  he  received  as  Presi- 
dent of  the  Normal  and  Industrial  College,  rather 
than  leave  that  Institution  and  his  work,  he  refused, 
and  labored  on  for  the  education  of  the  girls  of  this 
State.  Scores  and  hundreds  of  women  who  graduated 
at  this  College,  thoroughly  equipped  for  their  life- 
work,  will  render  the  best  testimonial  of  Dr.  Mclver 's 
greatness  and  his  goodness.  By  his  death  North  Caro- 
lina is  hit  hard,  and  our  own  personal  regret  cannot 
be  put  in  words. 

From  Charlotte  Chronicle 

North  Carolina  had  no  more  loyal  son  than  Dr. 
Charles  D.  Mclver,  whose  death  occurred  suddenly  on 
the  Bryan  special  train.     On  every  occasion  where 

57 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   MelVER 


there  was  to  be  singing  at  tlie  State  Normal  and 
Industrial  College,  or  any  occasion  when  the  exer- 
cises were  in  his  hands,  the  Old  North  State  would  be 
the  first  number  on  the  program.  He  was  devoted  to 
the  cause  of  education  and  gave  his  whole  thought  and 
all  his  energies  to  the  cause.  The  State  Normal  and 
Industrial  College  is  his  monument.  It  was  a  small 
and  weak  institution  when  he  took  charge.  He  leaves 
it  one  of  the  most  successful  and  best  equipped  edu- 
cational institutions  in  the  entire  country.  He  did 
not  permit  it  to  languish  for  a  day,  but  was  ever  alert 
to  its  needs  and  in  seeing  that  these  were  supplied. 
The  education  of  young  men  and  young  women  was 
his  life  work  and  well  was  it  performed.  The  cause 
of  education  has  sustained  a  great  loss.  The  State 
has  lost  a  son  who  has  reflected  honor  and  credit  upon 
its  name. 

From  Winsto7i  Sentinel 

In  the  death  of  Dr.  Charles  D.  Mclver  this  State 
loses  one  of  its  most  useful  men.  Until  he  took  hold 
of  woman's  education  in  this  State  there  was  prac- 
tically no  institution  under  state  control  having  for 
its  object  normal  training  for  women.  Today  the 
State  Normal  and  Industrial  College  is  a  monument 
to  his  zeal  and  success  in  the  education  of  women.  In 
liis  death  the  cause  of  education  in  this  State  has 
suffered  a  serious  blow.  Dr.  Mclver  was  known  as 
a  prominent  educator  throughout  the  country.  Onh^ 
a  year  ago  he  came  within  a  few  votes  of  being  elected 

58 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVEB 


President  of  the  National  Educational  Association. 
He  was  recognized  as  an  authority  on  woman's  educa- 
tion. The  people  of  Winston-Salem  are  especially 
grieved  over  Dr.  Mclver's  death.  He  was  formerly 
a  resident  of  this  city,  being  connected  with  the  pub- 
lic schools  here,  and  while  in  this  city  won  hosts  of 
friends  who  deeply  deplore  his  death.  Death  at  any 
time  is  sad,  but  in  the  case  of  a  man  just  in  his  prime 
who  is  doing  a  great  work  it  is  especially  unfortunate. 

From  Mocksville  Courier 

The  death  of  Dr.  Charles  D.  Mclver,  President  of 
the  State  Normal  and  Industrial  College,  which 
occurred  on  the  Bryan  special,  Monday,  is  a  calamity 
not  only  to  North  Carolina,  but  to  the  entire  South. 
Dr.  Mclver  was  not  only  North  Carolina's  leading 
educator,  but  was  one  of  her  most  progressive  citi- 
zens in  every  respect.  A  great  and  good  man  has  been 
snatched  from  us  in  the  very  prime  of  a  useful  career, 
and  the  whole  State  weeps  beside  his  bier. 

From  Raleigh  Times 

North  Carolina  has  lost  in  the  death  of  Dr.  Charles 
D.  Mclver  a  man  it  could  ill  afford  to  lose,  a  man  who 
was  giving  a  strong  life,  a  virile  personality  and  an 
indomitable  energy  to  the  cause  of  education.  And 
he  was  in  the  prime  of  his  useful  life,  with  the  reason- 
able expectation  of  many  years  of  growing  power,  for 

59 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVEB 


such  a  man  could  grow  with  the  years.  Dr.  Mclver  was 
one  of  those  men  who  made  himself  of  service  wherever 
he  found  himself.  Only  yesterday  morning  on  the  plat- 
form at  Greensboro,  after  the  arrival  of  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Bryan,  Dr.  Mclver  volunteered  to  look  after  their  bag- 
gage while  they  were  at  the  hotel  at  breakfast,  and 
make  sure  that  the  valises  were  put  on  the  special 
Avithout  any  loss  of  time.  It  was  a  little  thing,  but 
it  showed  the  manner  of  man  he  was.  In  all  his  busy 
life  Dr.  Mclver  always  took  time  for  a  pleasant  word 
to  every  acquaintance  he  saw,  and  he  always  saw  them 
and  never  forgot  anybody. 

From  North  Carolina  Baptist,  Fayetteville 

Charles  D.  Mclver  is  dead.  The  State  suffered  a 
shock  of  great  sorrow  on  Monday  afternoon  when  the 
news  was  passed  from  man  to  man  that  Charles  D. 
Mclver  had  died  on  the  Bryan  train  on  its  way  from 
Raleigh  to  Greensboro.  He  was  born  in  Moore 
County,  educated  at  the  University,  and  became  Presi- 
dent of  the  State  Normal  and  Industrial  College  in 
Greensboro  in  1892.  His  work  there  has  been  most 
successful.  In  almost  every  town  and  village  of  the 
State  there  are  girls  trained  by  this  far-seeing  and 
much  beloved  educator.  The  State  has  suffered  a 
great  loss.  Dr.  Mclver  was  a  splendid  representative 
of  the  Old  North  State  away  from  home  and  its  faith- 
ful servant  at  home.  The  Editor  of  the  Baptist  feels 
the  loss  as  a  personal  one. 

60 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVEB 


From  Salisbury  Post 

The  whole  State  is  the  loser  in  the  death  of  Dr. 
Charles  D.  Mclver,  who  expired  on  the  Bryan  special 
yesterday  afternoon.  Dr.  Mclver  gave  his  whole 
heart  to  the  cause  of  education  and  to  him  more  than 
any  other  one  man  may  be  credited  the  great  educa- 
tional awakening  that  has  come  upon  this  State  dur- 
ing the  past  ten  years.  He  was  not  content  with 
pedagogj^  He  originated  ideas  and  caused  men  to 
follow  his  lead.  He  cherished  no  political  ambition, 
but  his  influence  with  legislatures  in  behalf  of  educa- 
tion marked  the  turning  point  in  the  State's  interest 
in  the  intellectual  development;  of  its  children.  Higher 
education  claimed  his  immediate  attention,  but  the 
public  school  was  nearest  his  heart  and  he  gave  his 
best  talent  to  its  expansion  in  his  native  State.  North 
Carolina  has  lost  a  son  of  big  brain,  big  heart  and 
unfailing  loyalty. 

From   Concord   Tribune 

All  North  Carolina  is  shocked  today  by  the  news  of 
Dr.  aiclver's  death.  He  represented  the  highest  and 
strongest  type  of  Southern  manhood,  had  made  a 
national  reputation  and  was  to  his  native  State  a  great 
honor  and  an  exceedingly  useful  citizen.  His  sudden 
taking  away  is  shocking  indeed.  Young  and  vigorous, 
we  can  scarcely  believe  that  he  was  to  face  such  an 
unexpected  taking  away.  In  his  brief  career  Dr. 
Mclver  had  done  one  of  the  highest  and  best  works  in 

61 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVEB 


the  State.  The  great  school  over  which  he  presided 
was  a  monument  to  his  energies  and  master  intelli- 
gence. He  loved  North  Carolina,  and  delighted  in  a 
great  work  for  her  advancement.  His  place  will  be 
hard  to  fill,  though  another  will  take  up  his  work 
and  carry  it  on  in  the  spirit  of  his  endeavors.  Surely 
it  is  well  that  he  lived,  true  that  he  lived  to  great 
good  and  died  in  the  midst  of  a  noble  career. 

From  The  Bihlical  Recorder,  Raleigh 

The  sudden  death  of  Charles  D.  Mclver,  LL.D., 
President  of  the  State  Normal  College,  on  September 
17th,  shocked  the  entire  Commonwealth,  and,  we  have 
no  doubt,  there  was  a  sense  of  public  loss  and  personal 
bereavement  throughout  American  educational  circles ; 
for  in  recent  years  Dr.  Mclver  had  added  to  his 
achievements  for  education  in  North  Carolina  an 
enviable  fame  and  influence  beyond  our  State.  The 
State  Normal  College  is  his  monument.  But  his  ser- 
vices in  the  cause  of  public  education  in  town  and  in 
country  are  not  to  be  forgotten.  Nor  will  the 
teachers  of  North  Carolina  forget  the  one  who  has 
done  so  much  to  advance  their  profession.  No  man 
in  his  generation  has  surpassed  Dr.  Mclver  in  serving 
North  Carolina.  His  death  in  the  very  prime  of  life 
is  most  untimely. 

From  Everything,  Greensboro 

When  the  South  lost,  by  death.  Dr.  Charles  D. 
Mclver,  she  lost  her  most  valuable  citizen.    Measured 

62 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVER 


by  what  he  accomplished — not  for  himself,  but  for 
the  South — he  achieved  more  than  any  other  citizen 
living  today.  He  was  an  educator — he  builded  the 
Normal  School  at  Greensboro  and  planted  school 
houses  all  over  the  South.  He  was  strong — he  did 
things — and  while  it  is  proper  to  build  to  his  memory 
a  monument  of  bronze — this  will  be  done — he  builded 
a  monument  that  will  endure  as  long  as  the  language 
is  spoken.  He  insisted  that  future  mothers  should 
be  educated— that  that  meant  a  higher  education  all 
around.  He  depended  on  no  one  but  himself  to  accom- 
plish his  ends — he  went  through  forests  of  ignorance 
and  opposition  and  cleared  the  way.  He  died  too 
young— just  forty-six— but  his  foot  prints  are  on  the 
sands  of  time.  They  will  never  be  effaced.  Now 
that  his  busy  brain  is  at  rest — ^his  voice  stilled — those 
who  knew  him  as  a  man  recognize  that  a  giant  has 
gone  from  among  them.  The  great  Athenian  philoso- 
pher when  asked  by  the  Lydian  King  who  was  the 
happiest  among  them,  said  no  man  should  be 
pronounced  happy  until  he  was  dead.  May  happiness 
be  forever  his. 

From  Winston-Salem  Journal 

The  news  of  the  death  of  this  great  North  Carolina 
educator  will  bring  sadness  to  the  hearts  of  our  people 
regardless  of  race  or  of  religious  or  political  persua- 
sion. The  women  of  North  Carolina  have  lost  their 
ablest  champion,   the  cause  of  education  one  of  its 

63 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVER 


most  progressive  leaders,  and  all  of  us  the  warm 
friendship  of  one  whose  heart  and  whose  intellect 
was  dedicated  to  the  good  he  could  do  us.  *  *  * 
Today  the  State  Normal  and  Industrial  College  is  a 
monument  to  his  zeal  and  success  in  the  education  of 


women. 


No  institution  in  the  South  has  commanded  the  atten- 
tion of  the  country  to  a  greater  degree  than  has 
this  institution  under  the  presidency  of  this  able 
and  forceful  man.  To  its  upbuilding  he  has 
devoted  the  best  years  of  an  industrious  and  coura- 
geous life.  The  women  of  North  Carolina  owe  it  to 
themselves  to  perpetuate  his  memory  by  the  erection 
of  a  handsome  memorial. 

The  people  of  Winston-Salem  especially  feel  deeply 
this  affliction.  It  was  among  them  he  spent  his  early 
daj^s  as  an  educator.  Here  he  formed  fast  friendships 
that  death  will  not  sever.  Here  he  wedded  in  1885, 
Miss  Lula  V.  Martin,  at  that  time  a  teacher  in  the 
city  schools,  who  has  been  ever  interested  in  the 
realization  of  his  fondest  hopes. 

Charles  Mclver  is  dead!  Can  we  realize  it?  Only 
yesterday  so  strong  and  so  enthusiastic ;  now  his  work 
is  done.  And  it  was  a  work  that  will  live  after  him 
and  be  an  example  to  other  young  men  whose  advan- 
tages in  life  are  small.  He  was  truly  the  greatest 
Carolinian  who  ever  wore  that  great  Scotch  name. 


64 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVEB 


From  The  Duplin  Journal 

Dr.  Charles  D.  Mclver,  President  of  the  State 
Normal  College,  at  Greensboro,  died  suddenly  Mon- 
day evening.  His  death  casts  a  gloom  over  the  whole 
State  and  saddens  the  heart  of  all  its  people.  His 
was  indeed  the  great  educational  spirit  of  the  State, 
particularly  devoted  to  the  young  women  of  the  State. 
The  State  Normal  College  was  established  largely 
through  his  efforts  and  as  its  life-long  President  he 
has  developed  it  to  its  present  high  standard,  which 
is  a  magnificent  monument  to  his  educational  zeal  and 
great  executive  ability.  His  death  is  an  irreparable 
loss  to  the  State.  *  *  *  The  alumnae  in 
our  vicinity  are  overwhelmed  with  the  loss  of  their 
College  President.  Dr.  Mclver  is  deservedly  held 
by  them  as  the  State's  greatest  benefactor,  inasmuch 
as  he  was  the  first  North  Carolinian  to  make  any  real 
provision  for  the  education  of  women.  The  work 
he  has  started  and  established  will  live  on  to  glorify 
the  man  who  gave  his  life  to  the  highest  promotion 
and  development  of  the  womanhood  of  this  grand 
old  North  State.  Just  forty-six  years,  but  what  a  work 
accomplished !  The  seeds  sown  will  continue  to  germi- 
nate while  the  inspiration  of  his  zeal  and  personality 
will  live  in  the  hearts  of  every  Normalite  and  redound 
for  good  throughout  all  the  years  to  come.  It  is  some- 
thing to  have  known  such  a  worker — a  character  with 
the  elements  so  mixed  in  him  that  nature  might  stand 
up  to  all  the  world  and  say:     "This  was  a  man." 

65 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVER 


May  another  like  him  take  his  place  in  the  educa- 
tional work  of  the  young  women  of  the  State,  and  train 
them  to  the  noblest  and  highest  ideals  of  life. 

From  the  Daily  Reflector,  Greenville 

The  sudden  death  of  Dr.  Charles  D.  Mclver  was  a 
severe  blow  and  serious  loss  to  North  Carolina.  He 
was  one  of  the  State's  best  citizens  and  foremost 
among  the  educators  of  the  South.  His  place  as  presi- 
dent of  the  Normal  and  Industrial  College,  in  which 
he  has  done  such  excellent  service  for  the  women  of 
the  State,  will  be  hard  to  fill. 

From  The  Orphans'  Friend  and  Masonic  Journal, 
Oxford 

Dr.  Mclver  was  a  man  with  a  mission,  which  he 
clearly  conceived  and  faithfully  fulfilled.  He  was  a 
wise,  an  enthusiastic,  an  indefatigable  leader  in  the 
education  of  young  women  and  in  every  department 
of  educational  endeavor.  While  his  interest  centered 
in  the  work  to  him  specially  committed,  to  him 
divinely  appointed,  he  gave  to  other  helpful  agencies 
and  forces  encouragement  and  active  co-operation. 
He  was  indeed  an  efficient  toiler. 

The  enterprise  to  which  he  devoted  so  much  of  his 
time,  his  means,  his  talents,  for  which  he  laid  down 
his  life,  will  continue  to  grow. 

The  life  of  Charles  D.  Mclver  will  be  an  inspiration 
to  many  to  serve  God  and  man  more  zealously  day  by 
day. 

66 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVEB 


Who  can  measure  the  mighty  influence  of  a  man 
allied  with  God  in  His  great  work  for  mankind? 
Incalculable  is  the  power  for  good  of  the  life  of  our 
lamented  friend  and  brother.  *  *  *  * 

As  President  of  the  State  Normal  College,  as  an 
earnest  and  active  advocate  of  the  new  education, 
there  is  no  estimating  his  service  to  the  State.  Only 
the  records  above  will  reveal  how  many  lives  he  has 
touched  and  blessed.  He  is  known  abroad  as  a  broad- 
minded  man  and  educational  leader,  but  at  home  we 
call  him  friend. 

North  Carolina  has  suffered  a  grievous  loss  in  the 
death  of  Dr.  Mclver,  but  even  greater  is  her  pride, 
that  in  her  borders  such  a  man  has  lived. 

"Because  this  man  is  dead,  I  thank  my  God 
That  he  once  lived  to  glorify  earth 's  load. ' ' 

From  The  Landmark,  Statesville 

The  sudden  death  of  Dr.  Charles  D.  Mclver  Monday 
at  the  early  age  of  forty-six  removed  from  this  earthly 
existence  one  who  had  probably  accomplished  more 
for  the  intellectual  life  of  the  State  in  the  past  twenty 
years  than  any  other  man  in  it.  He  was  not  only  a 
man  of  great  ability,  but  he  was  a  man  of  action, 
one  who  brought  things  to  pass.  He  was  an  enthu- 
siast, and  his  enthusiasm  was  directed  by  executive 
ability  which  accomplished  results.  Completing  his 
education  he  began  to  teach.  He  soon  saw  and  felt 
the   need  of  better  educational  advantages  for   the 

67 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVER 


young  women  of  the  State.  The  State  had  done  much 
for  the  boys,  but  nothing  for  the  girls.  Realizing  the 
inestimable  value  of  an  educated  womanhood  to  the 
citizenship  of  the  State,  Dr.  Mclver  set  about  to 
accomplish  results,  and  the  State  Normal  and  Indus- 
trial College  at  Greensboro  stands  as  an  everlasting- 
monument  of  his  work.  In  the  years  that  are  past 
and  in  the  years  to  come  the  thousands  of  girls  who 
have  been  and  who  will  be  educated  in  that  college, 
and  the  thousands  who  will  be  benefited  directly  and 
indirectly  through  the  young  women  who  are  educated 
there,  will  hold  in  grateful  memory  the  man  who  was 
chiefly  instrumental  in  establishing  that  Institution. 
It  is  unnecesary  to  say  that  the  loss  of  such  a  man 
to  the  State  is  very  great.  Others  will  take  his  place 
and  the  work  will  go  on,  but  it  is  a  cause  for  sincere 
regret  that  the  State  and  this  generation  is  deprived 
of  the  invaluable  services  of  Dr.  Melver.  He  had 
accomplished  a  great  work  while  yet  a  young  man, 
a  work  that  will  endure  and  inure  to  the  great  bene- 
fit of  the  State  for  years  to  come.  He  had  earned  the 
rest  that  is  now  his  and  the  plaudit  well  done !  But 
men  of  his  type  are  rare — they  are  all  too  few;  and 
while  those  near  and  dear  to  him  have  suffered  the 
great  loss  of  husband  and  father,  the  State  has 
suffered  the  loss  of  a  loyal  and  devoted  son.  He  not 
only  strove  to  advance  the  cause  of  education  and 
through  this  means  to  uplift  his  people,  but  he  also 
strove  earnestly  to  elevate  the  profession  of  teaching 


68 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVER 


to  its  proper  plane,  and  the  teachers  of  the  State  have 
lost  their  warmest  defender  and  advocate  in  the  death 
of  Dr.  Mclver. 

From  Maxton  Blade 

Dr.  Mclver  was  one  of  the  foremost  educators  in 
the  South.  A  man  of  large  experience,  a  fine  scholar 
and  a  deep  and  accurate  thinker,  he  was  largely  the 
moving  spirit  in  the  establishment  of  the  State  Normal 
College  for  young  women  at  Greensboro.  He  has  been 
President  of  that  Institution  since  its  establishment, 
and  his  work  there  has  brought  splendid  results.  He 
made  himself  known  as  an  absolutely  unbiased  cham- 
pion, a  man  who  meant  to  the  public  not  party  nor 
politics,  but  the  one  great  cause  he  lived  for.  Thus 
he  antagonized  none,  and  by  arraying  himself  on 
neither  side  of  any  question,  did  not  bring  any  one 
into  opposition  with  him.  Able  as  he  might  have 
been  to  meet  and  overcome  in  the  political  battlefield, 
he  was  able  to  do  an  even  greater  thing — to  renounce 
entirely  the  fascination  of  the  contest,  man  against 
man,  that  he  might  turn  no  one  against  the  ideal  he 
worshipped. 

From  The  Christian  Sun,  Raleigh 

The  cause  of  education  not  only  in  North  Carolina, 
but  in  the  whole  country,  suffered  an  irreparable  loss 
in  the  death  of  Dr.  Charles  D.  Mclver.  That  man  did 
not  live  in  our  day  who  has  done  so  much  for  the 

69 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVER 


cause  of  education,  enlightenment,  and  the  uplifting 
of  the  masses  as  Dr.  Mclver.  While  teaching  at 
Raleigh  he  worked  industriously  with  legislators  in 
the  endeavor  to  have  established  in  North  Carolina  a 
school  for  women.  But  not  until  he  had  canvassed 
the  entire  State,  laboring  and  speaking  in  every 
county  until  1891,  did  he  bring  the  Legislature  to 
see  and  realize  the  need  of  a  State  institution  for  the 
training  of  young  women.  When  the  College  was 
created  in  1892  Dr.  Mclver  was  made  its  first  Presi- 
dent and  in  that  position  remained  till  his  untimely 
death.  Since  Dr.  Mclver 's  great  work  for  educating 
women  began  the  cause  in  the  State  has  swept  trium- 
phantly on  and  he  lived  to  see  3,000  women  educated 
because  he  fought  for  it.  His  clarion  note,  now 
familiar  to  us  all  was : 

"When  a  man  is  educated  it  is  simply  one  more  taken 
from  the  list  of  ignorance,  but  in  the  education  of  a  woman 
the  whole  family  is  taught,  for  she  will  pass  on  what  she 
has  learned  to  her  children.  The  education  of  one  woman 
is  far  more  important  for  the  world's  advancement  than  that 
of  one  man." 

Not  only  in  the  South,  but  in  the  North  as  well, 
was  Dr.  Mclver  regarded  as  a  leader  in  education.  He 
persistently  refused  to  be  turned  aside  from  his  life's 
work  of  educating  women  to  enter  politics  or  accept 
official  positions.  He  had  an  idea,  and  battled  most 
nobly  to  maintain  it.  He  has  built  a  monument  for 
himself,  noble,  inspiring,  grand,  that  will  not  perish. 

A  strange  thing  took  place  when  the  train  bearing 

70 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVEB 


Dr.  Mclver's  body  and  Hon.  W.  J.  Bryan  arrived  in 
Greensboro.  Thousands  had  gathered  to  hear  a  polit- 
ical speech.  Instead  of  a  partisan  plea  or  a  political 
speech  Mr.  Bryan  spoke  to  the  people  of  the  great 
life  and  labors  of  Dr.  Mclver.  The  audience  was 
melted  to  tears  and  the  political  gathering  was  turned 
into  a  house  of  mourning.  Mr.  Bryan  spoke  from  his 
heart,  for  he  and  Dr.  Mclver  had  been  close  friends 
for  many  years,  and  the  great  throng  hung  upon 
words  made  eloquent  by  sorrow  and  mourning. 

From  Raleigh  Christian  Advocate 

This  noted  educator  died  suddenly  on  the  train  near 
Durham  on  last  Monday  afternoon,  while  en  route  to 
Greensboro,  his  home.  He  had  attended  in  the  morn- 
ing the  Bryan  speaking  in  Raleigh,  and  was  at  the 
time  a  member  of  the  Bryan  traveling  party.  His 
death  has  occasioned  grief  throughout  the  whole  State. 
He  was  one  of  the  State's  first  citizens.  He  was 
known  throughout  the  whole  Union  as  one  of  the  most 
prominent  educational  spirits  of  the  South.  He  came 
from  a  farm,  and  by  his  resolution,  studiousness  and 
unflagging  energy  he  has  impressed  himself  on  the 
life  of  the  whole  South.  The  State  Normal  and 
Industrial  College  at  Greensboro  is  one  of  his  endur- 
ing monuments. 


71 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVEB 


From  The  News,  Chapel  Hill 

Mr.  Bryan's  trip  from  Durham  to  Greensboro  was 
indeed  a  sad  one.  Soon  after  leaving,  Dr.  Charles 
D.  Mclver  died  while  on  board  the  special  train 
just  before  reaching  Hillsboro.  His  death  was  a  shock 
to  his  numerous  friends  here.  The  loss  to  the  State 
is  great.  As  an  educator  he  went  a  step  further  than 
all  the  rest  of  the  great  men  of  the  State.  He  was 
the  founder  of  the  greatest  institution  in  the  State 
for  the  education  of  women,  the  State  Normal  College. 
His  sudden  and  untimely  departure  is  widely 
mourned. 

From  the  Union  Republican,  Winston 

As  a  citizen  and  an  educator,  the  death  of  Dr. 
Charles  D.  Mclver  will  be  long  and  deeply  felt.  His 
work  was  State  wide  and  will  long  survive.  On  the 
pages  of  history  his  name  will  be  inscribed  among 
those  of  Dr.  Calvin  H.  "Wiley  and  others,  whose  devo- 
tion to  the  educational  interests  of  North  Carolina 
was  the  main  spring  of  their  very  life.  For  them 
there  was  no  sacrifice  too  great  or  labor  too  arduous. 
Their  work  was  nobly  done  and  the  results  and  high 
standing  of  our  public  and  normal  school  interests 
stand  today  as  a  tribute  to  their  memory. 

From   The  Trinity  Chronicle 

Through  the  death  of  Dr.  Charles  D.  Mclver, 
President  of  the  State  Normal  College,  North  Carolina 

72 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVEB 


has  lost  one  of  the  foremost  of  her  already  too  few 
leaders  in  education,  a  loss  that  is  all  the  more  deeply 
felt  inasmuch  as  there  was  none  who  labored  just  as 
he  did  in  the  conquest  against  the  hosts  of  ignorance. 
He  early  saw  that  the  women  of  the  State  were  being 
discriminated  against  in  the  matter  of  education,  and 
thenceforth  his  entire  life  was  devoted  in  their  behalf, 
and  the  fruit  of  it  is  the  present  State  Normal  and 
Industrial  College,  with  the  hundreds  of  young  women 
who  have  been  sent  therefrom  to  teach  in  the  pub- 
lic schools  of  the  State.  His  highest  ideal  was  to  edu- 
cate women,  and  nothing  could  turn  him  from  that 
ideal.  In  business  life,  there  were  many  tempting 
positions  which  he  could  have  filled  with  much  more 
glory  and  financial  gain  for  himself,  but  all  such 
allurements  were  refused  that  woman  —  who  in  the 
matter  of  education  is  more  helpless  than  man,  and 
therefore  needs  man's  strong  arm  to  aid  her — might 
have  a  champion  to  fight  for  her.  He  was  her  knight, 
sworn  in  his  heart  to  serve  her  and  see  that  she  was 
protected  in  her  rights  to  all  that  is  highest  and  most 
ennobling,  and  he  was  always  faithful,  strong  and 
aggressive.  The  loss  occasioned  by  his  untimely  tak- 
ing off  cannot  be  estimated,  not  even  surmised. 

As  a  token  of  the  estimation  in  which  he  was  held 
by  Trinity  College  the  national  flag  that  floats  on  the 
campus  was  placed  at  half-mast  last  Tuesday. 


73 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVER 


From  The  Warrenton  Record 

Dr.  Charles  D.  Mclver,  President  of  the  State 
Normal  and  Industrial  College,  at  Greensboro,  died 
suddenly  Monday  evening.  In  the  death  of  Dr. 
Mclver  the  State  loses  one  of  its  greatest  and  most 
useful  citizens.  He  leaves  The  Normal  and  Industrial 
College  as  a  monument  to  his  memory. 

From  The  Scottish  Chiefs  Maxton 

The  only  sad  feature  connected  with  the  visit  of 
W.  J.  Bryan  to  North  Carolina  was  the  death  of  Dr. 
Charles  D.  Mclver.  Dr.  Mclver  was  a  member  of 
the  reception  committee.  He  was  the  personal  friend 
of  Mr.  Bryan  and  first  invited  him  to  North  Carolina 
twelve  years  ago  to  deliver  the  commencement  address 
at  the  State  Normal  and  Industrial  College. 

Dr.  Mclver  was  the  foremost  educator  of  North  Caro- 
lina. It  was  he  who  developed  to  its  present  gigantic 
proportions  the  State  Normal  and  Industrial  College. 
He  was  offered  positions  paying  two  to  four  times  as 
large  a  salary  as  the  one  he  held,  all  of  which  he 
declined.  His  death  is  a  great  loss  not  only  to  the 
State  but  to  the  nation  as  well. 

From  The  Elm  City  Miner 

In  the  death  of  Charles  D.  Mclver,  President  of 
the  State  Normal  and  Industrial  College  at  Greens- 
boro,  the   State  loses   one   of   its  truly   good,   great 

74 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVER 


men,  one  of  its  greatest  educators  and  one  of  the 
greatest  benefactors  to  Carolina  womanhood.  He 
died  suddenly,  ere  his  zenith  had  been  reached,  in 
the  prime  of  his  splendid  manhood.  All  lament  his 
death,  bemoan  the  great  loss  that  has  come  to  our 
people  and  State,  and  thousands  of  hearts  are  now 
in  tears.  His  life  work  has  ended  so  far  as  it  applies 
to  the  business  affairs  of  life,  but  the  lessons  that  he 
taught  and  the  great  influences  that  he  exerted  will 
go  on  in  endless  sweep,  and  the  memory  of  his  life  will 
be  embalmed  in  the  affections  of  his  countrymen  and 
our  womanhood  through  countless  years. 

Ere  the  sod  had  fallen  upon  the  casket  that  hides 
him  from  view  forever  a  movement  was  inaugurated 
to  cast  in  bronze  the  beloved  form  and  face  and  thus, 
not  only  in  the  hearts  of  his  countrymen  and  women, 
but  in  marble,  perpetuate  in  ever-enduring  form  the 
memory  of  his  noble  life. 

From  Durham  Recorder 

In  the  death  of  Dr.  Charles  D.  Mclver  the  State 
loses  a  good  citizen,  the  cause  of  education  its  strong- 
est support,  and  the  State  Normal  and  Industrial  Col- 
lege a  President  that  will  not  be  replaced  soon.  He 
was  a  man  with  ideas  and  he  did  not  exploit  them  for 
other  people  to  work  out,  but  went  to  the  plow  himself 
that  what  he  believed  in  might  be  put  to  the  front, 
and  he  succeeded.  His  sudden  death  cast  a  gloom 
over  the  State  that  only  time  will  lift. 

75 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVEB 


From  The  Progressive  Farmer,  Baleigh 

North  Carolina  and  the  whole  South  suffered  an 
almost  irreparable  loss  last  week  in  the  sudden  death 
of  Dr.  Charles  D.  Mclver,  President  of  the  State 
Normal  and  Industrial  College  at  Greensboro.  That 
Institution  is  his  monument,  while  for  the  present 
general  educational  revival,  the  South  owes  as  much 
to  Dr.  Mclver  as  to  any  other  one  man — perhaps 
more.  Years  ago  he  came  to  believe  with  all  his  soul 
in  the  need  of  better  facilities  for  the  education  of 
women,  and  he  worked  until  the  whole  State  caught 
his  enthusiasm.  "Educate  a  man,"  he  declared, 
' '  and  you  have  educated  one  person ;  educate  a  mother 
and  you  educate  a  whole  family."  And  the  public 
schools  had  no  more  zealous  friend  than  he.  He  had 
an  ideal:  the  uplift  of  the  Commonwealth  through 
education,  and  he  consecrated  himself  to  educational 
progress,  and  rejected  business  offers  of  four  times 
his  salary  in  order  that  he  might  continue  in  the  work 
he  loved  so  whole-heartedly.  *  *  *  jjg 
believed  in  doing  things :  "  I  'd  rather  be  a  what 's 
what  than  a  who's  who,"  he  declared.  The  State  is 
richer  for  his  life,  poorer  for  his  death,  and  she  should 
rear  a  worthy  monument  to  a  man  who  certainly 
served  her  better  than  any  politician  of  his  generation. 

From  The  Roxboro  Courier 

In  the  death  of  Dr.  Charles  D.  Mclver  the  State 
sustains  a  great  loss,  and  a  place  is  made  vacant  that 

76 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVEB 


will  be  hard  to  fill.  He  has  done  a  work  for  the 
uneducated  girls  of  North  Carolina  that  will  last 
throughout  generations.  His  whole  life  was  in  his 
work  and  the  results  accomplished  by  him  in  that 
work  cannot  be  measured.  It  seems  only  a  few  years 
since  he  was  going  up  and  down  our  State  urging  our 
people  to  establish  a  great  normal  training  school  for 
our  girls  where  the  teachers  for  the  public  schools 
could  get  that  education  and  training  necessary  to 
make  successful  women.  Truly  a  great  man  has  been 
taken— and  just  in  the  prime  of  manhood. 

From  The  Henderson  Gold  Leaf 

The  death  of  Dr.  Charles  D.  Mclver  is  a  distinct 
loss  to  the  State  and  to  the  cause  of  education.  It  is, 
indeed,  a  public  calamity.  He  had  wrought  a  great 
work,  and  still  in  the  prime  and  vigor  of  his  power 
and  usefulness— only  about  forty-six  years  old— it 
seemed  as  if  his  best  achievements  had  not  yet  been 
accomplished. 

From  The  Caucasian 

The  sudden  death  of  Dr.  Charles  D.  Mclver,  Presi- 
dent of  the  State  Normal  and  Industrial  College  at 
Greensboro,  was  a  great  shock  to  the  people  of  this 
State.  He  was  one  of  the  foremost  educators,  not  only 
of  the  State  but  of  the  South.  He  was  a  prime  mover 
m  establishing  the  State  Normal  College  at  Greens- 
boro, and  has  made  that  Institution  what  it  is  today. 

77 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVER 


In  fact,  he  devoted  his  entire  life  to  the  cause  of  edu- 
cation, and  while  he  has  crossed  the  bar  his  life's 
work  will  live  as  a  monument  to  his  memory. 

From  Tarhoro  Southerner 

In  the  death  of  Dr.  ]\lclver,  the  State  loses  one  of 
its  greatest  educators,  who  rendered  valuable  service 
in  promoting  the  educational  interests  of  the  State. 
His  heart  was  in  educational  work,  and  it  will  be  diffi- 
cult to  find  a  President  to  succeed  him. 

Dr.  Mclver's  sudden  and  untimely  taking  off  will 
be  mourned  throughout  the  State. 

From  The  Smithfield  Herald 

In  the  death  of  Dr.  Charles  D.  Mclver  the  State 
has  lost  one  of  its  most  useful  citizens.  He  has  done 
more  for  the  higher  education  of  the  girls  of  North 
Carolina  than  any  other  person  in  the  State,  and  the 
Normal  and  Industrial  College  at  Greensboro  will  ever 
stand  as  a  monument  to  his  earnestness  and  energy. 

From.  The  Neivton  Enterprise 

The  death  of  Dr.  Charles  D.  Mclver,  President  of 
the  State  Normal  College,  is  a  distinct  loss  to  North 
Carolina.  He  devoted  his  talents  and  the  enthusiasm 
of  a  very  earnest  and  vigorous  manhood  to  the  advance- 
ment of  education  and  especially  the  education  of  the 
North  Carolina  girls.   He  was  only  forty-six.   His  life 

78 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVER 


was  too  short.    But  in  it  was  accomplished  great  good. 
The  great  State  College  for  girls  is  his  monument. 

From  The  Catawba  County  News 

We  make  no  apology  for  giving  so  much  space  in 
this  issue  to  the  death  and  record  of  Dr.  Mclver.  He 
has  for  twenty-five  years  preached  the  gospel  of  pub- 
lic education  from  the  mountains  to  the  sea.  He  has 
made  an  impression  upon  the  State  of  North  Carolina 
such  as  no  other  one  man  has  made  in  his  generation. 
Telegrams  of  sympathy  were  received  from  the  leading 
educational  institutions  North  and  South.  University 
Presidents,  Presidents  of  Colleges,  State  Superin- 
tendents, State  officials  and  men  from  all  the  voca- 
tions of  life  assembled  to  pay  a  tribute  of  respect  to 
his  memory  at  the  funeral  on  Wednesday. 

He  literally  gave  his  life  for  the  elevation  and 
uplift  of  his  own  State.  Other  men  have  been  induced 
to  leave  the  State  by  flattering  offers  of  money.  These 
offers  came  to  Dr.  Mclver,  but  he  turned  a  deaf  ear 
to  them  all,  and  chose  to  suffer  and  sacrifice  if  need 
be  for  his  own  people. 

One  of  the  great  men  of  North  Carolina  has  been 
taken  away  and  the  whole  State  will  miss  him. 

From  The  Scotland  Neck  Commonwealth 

President  C.  D.  Mclver,  of  the  State  Normal  College, 
died  Monday,  September  17th.    His  death  is  an  irrep- 

79 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVER 


arable  loss  to  the  State.  He  was  one  of  the  most  active 
and  useful  citizens  in  the  State  and  one  of  the  fore- 
most educators  of  the  South.  He  had  given  his  life 
to  education  and  his  best  and  strongest  years  to 
establishing  and  managing  the  great  and  useful  insti- 
tution at  Greensboro,  over  whose  interests  and  destiny 
he  had  presided  from  its  establishment. 

The  State  mourns  the  death  of  such  a  great  and  good 
man  and  labors  under  a  loss  that  cannot  be  repaired. 
His  work  is  his  monument  and  it  will  bear  eloquent 
tribute  to  his  worth  for  all  time  to  come.  The  people 
of  his  native  State  will  long  bless  his  memory  and 
the  people  of  many  States  share  our  sorrow  at  his 
sudden  and  untimely  death. 

From   The  Mooresville  Enterprise 

In  the  death  of  Dr.  Charles  D.  Mclver,  President 
of  the  State  Normal  and  Industrial  College,  the  State 
loses  its  foremost  educator.  His  service  to  the  cause 
of  education,  most  especially  that  of  young  ladies, 
cannot  be  estimated.  He  was  the  originator  and  pio- 
neer, in  North  Carolina,  of  education  for  the  poorer 
girls,  and  the  College  at  Greensboro  is  his  monument. 
Valiantly  has  he  wrought  along  the  lines  of  education 
and  the  fruits  of  his  labors  are  to  be  seen  on  every 
hand.  To  the  cause  of  education  he  devoted  his  life, 
and  well  was  his  work  performed.  Dr.  Melver  always 
had  a  kind  and  cheerful  word  for  all  and  in  all 
his  busy   life   always  took  time   to   speak  to   every 

80 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVEB 


acquaintance  and  he  never  forgot  anyone.     Truly  a 
great  man  has  fallen. 

From  Gastonia  News 

The  sudden  death  of  Dr.  Charles  Duncan  Mclver, 
President  of  the  State  Normal  College,  cast  a  gloom 
over  the  famous  Bryan  party,  and  the  State  will 
mourn  as  the  people  all  over  the  State  hear  of  this 
great  man's  death.  He  has  done  more  for  the  educa- 
tion of  women  in  North  Carolina  than  any  other  man 
in  it.  *  *  *  He  made  a  campaign  of  the 
State  in  1891-2  that  resulted  in  the  establishment  of 
the  State  Normal  College  in  1892.  Three  thousand 
girls  have  been  educated  in  this  College  and  its  influ- 
ence for  good  has  been  wonderful.  Dr.  Mclver  gave 
his  life  to  one  deed — that  of  the  education  of  the 
women  of  the  State.  He  will  go  down  in  history  as 
one  of  the  truly  great  benefactors  of  his  State, 

From  The  Elkin  Enterprise 

In  the  death  of  Dr.  Charles  D.  Mclver,  President 
of  the  State  Normal  and  Industrial  College  at  Greens- 
boro, North  Carolina  loses  one  of  her  foremost  educa- 
tors. Not  only  the  State  but  the  entire  country  will 
mourn  his  sudden  taking  off.  He  was  beloved  by  all 
and  the  man  who  attempts  to  fill  his  place  will  have 
an  up-hill  road  to  travel.  We  doubt  if  there  be  one 
in  the  State  equal  to  the  occasion,  as  his  whole  soul 

81 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVER 


was  in  the  work.  Dr.  Mclver  was  forty-six  years  old. 
A  great  and  good  man  has  gone  from  us — peace  to 
his  ashes. 

From  Presbyterian  Standard 

The  death  of  Dr.  Charles  D.  Mclver,  President  of 
the  State  Normal  College,  at  Greensboro,  N.  C,  is  a 
loss  to  education  that  the  South  will  feel  for  years. 
Dr.  Mclver  was  a  product  of  the  soil ;  a  broad-minded 
Christian  gentleman,  a  man  of  vision  and  willing  to 
serve,  who  has  led  the  Institute  from  its  inception 
to  a  high  place  of  public  trust. 

From  Beidsville  Review 

Dr.  Charles  D.  Mclver,  the  President  of  the  North 
Carolina  State  Normal  and  Industrial  College,  is  dead. 
This  is  an  incalculable  loss  to  the  educational  interests 
of  the  State.  Dr.  Mclver  was  a  great  and  good  man.  He 
was  in  charge  of  the  greatest  work  being  done  in  North 
Carolina,  and  his  heart  was  in  his  work.  It  was  for  this 
reason  that  the  arduous  duties  of  his  great  office  were 
discharged  with  such  marked  success.  The  death  of 
this  man  will  be  mourned  by  all  citizens  throughout 
the  State ;  but  the  grief  will  be  felt  most  keenly  by 
the  thousands  of  young  women  who  regarded  him  as 
a  personal  friend  and  to  whom  he  has  been  a  source 
of  inspiration  and  help  in  their  efforts  to  secure  an 
education  and  the  training  necessary  for  usefulness 
and  success  in  life.  H.  A.  Hayes. 

82 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVEB 


From  Hertford  Herald,  Ahoskie 

For  two  weeks  we  have  devoted  much  space  to  pub- 
lishing comments  on  the  life  and  character  of  the  late 
Dr.  Charles  Duncan  Mclver,  who  at  the  time  of  his 
death  was  the  foremost  citizen  of  North  Carolina. 
It  is  well  for  our  people,  especially  the  young,  to 
read  of  the  noble  life  of  this  great  man  who  has  made 
the  State  richer  and  the  people  happier  by  his  life. 

From  Waynesville  Courier 

In  the  death  of  Dr.  Charles  Mclver,  North  Carolina 
has  lost  one  of  her  best  citizens  and  the  cause  of 
education  has  lost  one  of  its  greatest  and  best  leaders. 
*  *  *  As  a  result  of  his  efforts  with  many 
others,  we  now  have  at  Greensboro  a  State  School  for 
girls,  the  influence  of  which  is  felt  all  over  our  grand 
old  Commonwealth.  From  the  first  till  his  death  Dr. 
Mclver  was  the  President  of  our  great  Normal  and 
Industrial  College  at  Greensboro.  The  fact  is  he 
was  almost  the  Institution  itself.  It  is  to  be  hoped 
that  another  of  great  skill  in  running  the  College 
will  be  found,  but  certainly  it  will  be  hard  to  fill 
the  place  with  another  of  Dr.  Mclver 's  ability  and 
tact. 

Dr.  Mclver  was  not  only  well  known  in  our  State 
but  he  was  well  known  in  educational  gatherings 
both  north  and  south,  where  he  was  frequently  invited 
to  make  educational  addresses.     At  annual  meetings 

83 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVER 


of  county  superintendents  Dr.  IMcIver  was  one  of 
us  not  in  ol!ice  but  in  interest  and  sympathy  in 
every  way  to  forward  the  cause  of  education  in  every 
section  of  our  State. 

The  teachers  of  our  county  will  long  remember 
the  fine  address  he  made  at  the  close  of  our  sum- 
mer Institute  at  Clyde.  Every  one  went  away  encour- 
aged by  the  talks  made  by  our  Superintendent  of 
Public  Instruction  and  the  lamented  Dr.  Melver 
who  will  meet  with  us  on  earth  no  more.  He  was 
a  Christian  gentleman  and  a  devoted  member  of 
the  Presbyterian  Church. 

It  was  a  great  privilege  that  he  fell  at  his  post  of 
duty.  R.  A.  Sentelle, 

County  Superintendent. 

From  The  News  Reporter,  Whiteville 

One  of  the  first  things  that  caught  my  eyes  as  I 
picked  up  my  paper  this  morning  was  the  announce- 
ment of  the  death  of  that  great  and  good  man,  Dr. 
Charles  Duncan  McIver.  Imagine  my  feelings  when 
I  realized  that  this  man  was  gone  to  return  no  more. 
What  a  loss !  What  an  incalculable  loss !  The  cause 
of  education  in  North  Carolina  loses  one  of  its  strong- 
est and  most  substantial  friends.  Dr.  McIver  loved 
North  Carolina  and  North  Carolina  loved  Dr.  McIver. 
We  knew  him  personally  and  in  his  death  we  feel  a 
personal  loss.  How  we  will  miss  him  in  our  educa- 
tional meetings ! 

84 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVEB 


We  could  always  count  on  his  presence,  his  sympa- 
thy, and  his  help.  The  State  Normal  College  at  Greens- 
boro is  sorely  bereaved.  For  about  fourteen  years  he 
has  stood  at  the  hea'^  of  this  institution  influencing  and 
endearing  himself  to  those  who  are  the  character 
builders  in  our  beloved  State.  All  his  students  speak 
so  tenderly  and  affectionately  of  him,  b^^t  he  is 
gone  and  we  bow  in  humble  submission  to  the  will  of 
Him  who  doeth  all  things  well.  He  died  young,  at 
the  age  of  forty-six,  but  while  he  lived  he  worked.  No 
one  kept  busier.  May  his  mantle  fall  on  worthy 
shoulders.  F.  T.  Wooten, 

County  Superintendent. 

From  Monroe  Journal 

There  is  a  movement  on  foot  to  build  a  monument  to 
Dr.  Mclver,  in  the  shape  of  a  bronze  statue  at  the 
College.  No  monument  could  be  more  appropriate, 
more  deserved.  Yet  Dr.  Mclver  never  made  any 
money.  It  has  been  said  that  a  great  man  has  not 
the  time  to  make  money.  Dr.  Mclver  was  offered 
several  times  his  salary  to  do  work  in  a  business 
way.  Suppose  he  had  taken  it?  A  salary  of  ten 
thousand  dollars  a  year  would  have  permitted  him  to 
lay  up  money  and  to  have  soon  got  a  start  such  that 
with  his  ability  he  could  have  become  a  rich  man 
as  the  term  goes  down  here.  But  what  would  have 
become  of  the  work  he  was  doing  for  others?  What 
about  the  hundreds  of  people  he  was  inspiring  to  do 

85 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVER 


greater  things?  What  about  the  numberless  women 
whose  careers  he  was  touching  to  bless?  What  about 
the  six  hundred  young  women  who  last  week  gathered 
as  students  at  the  Normal  College?  What  about 
the  whole  vast  influence  his  life  and  work  was  exert- 
ing in  behalf  of  the  cause  of  education,  in  the  place 
where  there  are  fewest  friends  and  most  help  needed? 
No,  a  thousand  times  no!  lie  had  no  time  to  make 
money  for  himself. 

From  The  Polk  County  News 

In  the  sudden  death  recently  of  Dr.  Charles  D. 
Mclver,  President  of  the  State  Normal  and  Indus- 
trial College  at  Greensboro,  the  educational  interest 
of  the  State  loses  one  of  its  most  valued  members. 
It  is  said  no  man  is  indispensable,  but  it  will  indeed 
be  hard  to  find  a  man  who  can  fill  such  a  position  with 
the  ability  and  distinction  of  the  late  President. 

From  Daily  Industrial  News 

It  would  be  difficult  to  know  where  struck  deepest 
the  root  of  Dr.  Mclver 's  greatness.  Which  was 
the  greatest?  The  man  in  whose  brain  was  born 
the  idea  of  education  for  the  women  of  North  Caro- 
lina, and  who  dreamed  of  a  college  where  they 
might  come  and  learn ;  the  man  who,  against  heavy 
odds,  was  the  chief  in  bringing  about  the  realization 
of  the  ideal ;  the  man  who,  once  the  institution  was  an 

86 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVEB 


established  fact,  so  guided  it  through  adversity  that 
its  very  woes  were  made  seeds  for  future  greatness ; 
the  man  whose  wisdom  and  love  were  the  inspiration 
of  every  girl  who  entered  the  college  to  leave  it  a 
woman,  with  his  influence  a  part  of  her  womanhood? 
Dreamer,  promoter,  executive,  teacher  ?  —  which  ? 

Certainly,  on  the  country  at  large  comes  the  loss 
of  his  intellect,  for  he  was  a  prominent  factor  in  the 
educational  movement,  which  is  really  the  chariot 
of  progress,  and  to  which  belongs  the  honor  of  carry- 
ing the  country 's  flag  in  the  field  of  the  nations. 

Certainly  to  the  Old  North  State  comes  home  the 
most  closely  the  loss  of  his  marvelous  executive  ability, 
for  he  assembled  the  scattered  and  unorganized  forces 
of  education,  and  made  eager  soldiers  out  of  indiffer- 
ent and  even  antagonistic  conscripts,  taking  from  the 
Old  North  State  the  reproach  of  having  sent  no  knight 
into  the  educational  field  to  fight  the  cause  of  its 
women. 

But  the  loss  of  the  wise  and  loving  teacher  falls 
most  bitterly  on  the  students  he  led  and  inspired, 
on  the  women  of  North  Carolina  who  have,  because 
of  him,  been  active  powers  for  good  instead  of  pas- 
sively accepting  the  world's  good.  There  is  a  bitterer 
loss  still  to  those  who  would  have  come  under  his 
influence  had  he  lived,  and  who  must  do  without  it, 
but  these  cannot,  of  necessity,  realize  that  loss. 

In  Dr.  Mclver  was  embodied  the  truest  type  of 
patriot.     He  loved  his  country  well  enough  to  dedi- 


87 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVEB 


cate  himself  to  her  advancement,  rather  than  to  his 
own  gain.  He  loved  his  country  as  his  eye,  but  the 
apple  of  his  eye  was  one  southern  spot  in  it — the 
Old  North  State.  With  him  her  worship  was  a 
passion. 

At  the  last  commencement  exercises  of  the  College 
it  was  notable  that  repeatedly  throughout  the  final 
day  he  asked  for  the  singing  of  that  ringing  melody, 
"The  Old  North  State."  Not  often  enough  could  his 
ears  drink  in  its  notes ;  not  often  enough  could  he  use 
it  as  a  vehicle  to  translate  into  the  very  souls  of  the 
departing  graduates  his  own  spirit  of  true  patriotism 
that  lived  by  the  giving  of  service. 

But  there  was  one  quality  in  Dr.  Mclver  not  yet 
mentioned  which  was  nearer  than  any  other  to  the 
hand  of  the  God  that  made  him.  One  phrase  in  scrip- 
ture describes  it  most  perfectly,  and  is,  more  than 
anything  that  has  been  said  of  him,  his  perfect 
praise — 

"And  the  common  people  heard  him  gladly." 

Few  are  the  men  of  intellect  who  can  speak  to 
"the  common  people."  Theirs  is  a  different  world, 
a  different  tongue,  and  one  of  the  tragedies  of  the 
world  is  that  they,  whose  mission  it  is  to  teach  the 
world,  should  speak  and  not  be  understood.  But 
this  man,  knowing  the  language  of  that  mental  world, 
knew  also  how  to  translate  it  to  the  people  he  taught, 
and  more  than  that,  he  knew  how  to  awake  in  their 
hearts  the  love  for  tha  new  language  and  the  desire 


88 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVER 


to  attune  their  tongues  to  its  melody.  He  could 
first  implant  the  longing  for  the  seed,  and  then  plant 
the  seed. 

Idealist,  promoter,  leader,  teacher,  speaker  to  "the 
common  people,"  surely  Charles  Mclver  was  one 
whom  God  when  He  made  him,  marked  with  the 
title  "Man." 

From  The  Deaf  Carolinian,  Morganton 

The  death  of  no  one  within  the  borders  of  the 
Old  North  State  has  so  wrung  the  hearts  of  our 
people  or  caused  more  universal  grief  than  that  of 
Dr.  Charles  Duncan  Mclver. 

A  chord  of  sorrow  and  sympathy  has  been  touched 
which  Avill  vibrate  so  long  as  the  monuments  of 
character  which  he  has  erected  in  the  lives  of  the 
young  women  of  our  State  shall  remain.  ' '  His  works 
do  follow  him, ' '  and  the  influence  of  them  will  go  on 
forever. 

Not  only  the  inner  circle  of  his  friends  and  the 
College  he  founded  —  into  which  he  breathed  his 
mighty  spirit  —  mourn  for  him,  but  there  is  an  outer 
circle  who  know  him  only  by  reputation:  other  col- 
leges and  schools  grieve  and  feel  their  loss  most  keenly. 
How  gratefully  and  pleasantly  we  recall  the  influ- 
ence of  his  two  or  three  visits  to  our  'School  and  his 
interest  in  us!  Especially  do  we  recall  his  presence 
here  a  year  ago,  when  he  left  New  York,  where  he 
was  giving  a  series  of  lectures,  that  he  might  speak 

89 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVEB 


to  the  National  Convention  of  Instructors  of  the 
Deaf  then  holding  its  sessions  in  our  Institution. 
Such  an  influence  did  his  speech  make  upon  this  great 
Convention  that  it  called  forth  from  all  over  the 
Union  the  most  pronounced  encomiums. 

Taken  away  with  full  armor  on,  he  must  feel  won- 
drously  at  home  today  with  his  Lord. 

Mrs.  L.  a.  Winston. 

From  The  South  Atlantic  Quarterly,  October,  1906 

While  we  go  on  in  our  routine  in  life,  we  judge 
men  by  many  standards — whether  they  are  successful 
and  are  doing  their  tasks  well,  or  are  of  service  to 
their  fellows  and  to  society;  or  are  interesting  and 
helpful  companions ;  or  are  courageous.  Almost  every 
rule  that  we  have  is  more  or  less  modified  by  the 
personality  of  the  man  to  whom  it  is  applied.  We 
even  suspend  judgment  on  one  another — waiting  to 
see  how  each  of  us  continues  to  do  his  task  or  to  live 
his  life. 

But  when  death  startles  us  and  cuts  a  career  short 
and  we  must  measure  the  dead  man  once  for  all 
we  find  ourselves  asking  first  of  all  the  one  question, 
how  true  and  helpful  he  was  to  his  friends,  to  his 
community  and  to  human  kind ;  for  that  is  the  highest 
test  after  all. 

Apply  that  test  to  Dr.  Charles  D.  Mclver  and  he 
measures  so  large — he  reaches  the  full  proportions 
of  a  great  nature. 

90 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVER 


I  suppose  that  he  was  regarded  as  a  close  personal 
friend  by  more  men  and  women,  and  he  had  the 
intimate  confidence  of  more  men  and  women,  than 
any  other  man  in  North  Carolina.  Whoever  knew 
him  came  close  to  him.  The  man  who  was  most 
engrossed  and  the  slow  fellow  who  had  merely  dull 
and  intermittent  impulses  to  be  of  some  use  in  the 
world — each  alike  counted  him  a  friend.  He  was  a 
brother  to  every  human  creature.  When  you  or  I 
say,  then,  that  we  have  lost  one  of  our  best  friends, 
we  are  but  two  of  a  great  host  of  men  and  women 
who  are  saying  the  same  thing.  Now  this  genius  for 
helpfulness  is  a  quality  of  only  very  great  natures. 

Think,  too,  of  the  cheerfulness  and  of  the  hope- 
fulness of  the  man !  That  also  is  a  mark  of  his  great 
nature.  His  beaming,  buoyant  personality  was  a  form 
of  courage  that  never  flagged;  it  was  a  constant 
inspiration  to  everybody  whom  it  reached,  and  it 
reached  far. 

At  Greensboro,  on  the  day  when  he  was  buried, 
there  were  men  prominent  in  educational  work  from 
Georgia,  North  Carolina,  South  Carolina,  Virginia 
and  New  York,  who,  through  their  tears,  fell  to  telling 
humorous  anecdotes  that  illustrated  his  unbounded 
cheerfulness  and  kindliness.  Not  one  could  have 
recalled,  if  he  had  tried,  a  single  bitter  thing  that  he 
had  said  or  a  single  unworthy  act  that  he  had  done. 
They  called  him  affectionately,  "Charles"  or  "Mac" 
— these  leaders  in  educational  work.  What  tribute 
to  a  man  that  his  friends  should  laugh  and  weep  at 

91 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVER 


once  as  they  mourned  his  loss — what  a  touching 
evidence  that  he  touched  the  fundamental  emotions ! 

His  own  heavy  burdens,  which  he  carried  as  only 
the  bravest  men  can  carry  burdens,  were  never  visible, 
and  that  also  was  a  mark  of  a  big  character.  I  doubt 
if  any  man  can  recall  Charles  Mclver's  uttering  a 
single  complaining  word. 

But  these  qualities  of  companionship  and  kindliness 
and  cheerfulness  and  bravery  are  not  all  that  come 
to  mind  in  the  grateful  and  affectionate  memory 
that  we  who  loved  him  shall  ever  have  of  him.  He 
had  another  quality  that  only  large  men  have — he 
was  a  builder  of  things.  He  did  not  work  aimlessly. 
We  have  had  no  man  among  us  who  carried  a  truer 
singleness  of  purpose  or  who  had  a  more  definite 
aim  in  life  than  he — call  it  an  inspiration,  or  a  vision, 
or  a  business,  as  you  like  —  it  was  all  these.  He 
moulded  out  of  the  public  opinion  of  North  Carolina 
a  great  institution,  which  embodied  a  clear  cut  idea 
and  was  founded  on  a  definite  philosophy  of  human 
progress.  It  is  a  noble  idea,  too,  for  the  State  Normal 
and  Industrial  College  for  women  was  literally  made 
by  him  out  of  the  opinion  of  the  State  as  the  bricks 
in  its  buildings  were  made  out  of  clay  by  their 
moulders.  Everybody  who  knew  him  had  heard  him 
expound  his  doctrine  of  the  right  training  of  women — 
heard  his  arraignment  of  modern  life — not  in  North 
Carolina  only  nor  in  particular,  but  of  modern  society 
in  general — for  its  neglect  of  women.  About  this  he 
had  the  zeal  of  a  crusader.     Think  how  few  other 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVEB 


men  in  North  Carolina,  or  in  other  States,  have  ever 
built  outright  a  great  institution  and  you  have  a  meas- 
ure of  the  man.  He  built  it  once  and  forever,  too, 
for  he  planted  it  deep  in  the  affections  of  the  people 
and  especially  the  women. 

Twice  he  had  a  chance  possibly  to  become  President 
of  the  State  University,  but  he  considered  his  work 
in  building  a  College  for  women  of  greater  import- 
ance. He  might  at  any  time  during  the  last  six  or 
eight  years,  have  received  an  income  that  would  have 
relieved  him  of  all  financial  care  and  provided  lux- 
uriously for  his  family  if  he  had  given  his  time  to 
business  undertakings.  He  was  even  advised  by  some 
of  his  closest  friends  to  accept  such  an  offer.  But 
the  building  and  the  development  of  a  great  college 
for  the  training  of  women  (and  by  the  training  of 
women,  the  lifting  up  of  the  whole  people)  was  dearer 
to  him  than  all  other  aims  in  life ;  and  he  never 
hesitated. 

That,  too,  was  the  work  of  a  great  nature — that  he 
took  his  pleasure  in  building  a  worthy  institution 
and  not  in  his  personal  comfort  nor  in  the  advance- 
ment of  any  personal  ambition  or  wish  for  future 
honor. 

May  I  say  frankly  here  that  the  State  must  learn 
to  pay  men,  who  fill  positions  like  this,  much  higher 
salaries  than  it  now  pays?  Else  it  will  not  always 
get  the  services  of  the  best  men.  Dr.  Mclver  was  a 
pitifully  underpaid  public  servant.     The  State  has 


93 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVEB 


passed  the  place  where  it  need  be  niggardly,  or  can 
afford  to  be  niggardly,  to  its  great  public  servants. 

And  he  had  the  quality  not  only  of  a  builder,  but 
another  high  quality  still — the  quality  of  a  popular 
leader.  There  is  no  way  of  accurately  measuring 
his  influence  in  developing  public  sentiment — in  North 
Carolina  in  particular,  but  in  other  States  as  well — 
to  public  educational  activity  and  to  a  higher  life 
for  all  the  people.  Outside  the  State,  he  was,  I  think, 
everywhere  regarded  as  the  most  influential  leader  of 
the  people  for  popular  education  that  this  genera- 
tion of  men  has  known. 

A  rare  genius  for  friendship,  a  cheerful  and  uplift- 
ing personality,  a  high  and  absorbing  purpose  which 
admitted  of  no  selfishness,  the  great  faculty  of  a 
builder  of  institutions  and  the  great  faculty  of  lead- 
ing public  opinion  for  the  higher  aims  —  Charles 
Mclver  had  all  these ;  and  any  man  who  had  such  an 
aggregation  of  high  qualities  is  a  great  man.  His 
going  leaves  us  poorer  (a  great  multitude  of  us  who 
had  his  friendship,)  and  it  leaves  the  State  and  the 
nation  poorer.  Yet  State  and  individuals  are  very 
much  richer  for  his  life  and  work. 

I  should  like  to  write  it  here  (and  many  men  could 
make  the  same  confession)  that  I  owe  him  an  incal- 
culable debt,  which  can  be  paid  only  by  an  affectionate 
remembrance  —  for  his  cheerfulness,  his  humor,  his 
inspiration  and  helpfulness  of  spirit,  the  example  of 
his  unswerving  devotion  to  one  high  task,  his  balanced 
and  happy  view  of  life,  his  noble  and  intimate  ser- 

94 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVER 


vice  of  brotherhood.  To  us  all  and  for  us  all,  he 
was,  brother,  builder,  leader,  a  great  force  in  our  lives 
and  in  the  life  of  his  time.  The  people  of  the  com- 
monwealth—all the  people  of  the  commonwealth  — 
had  in  him  as  true  a  friend  and  servant  as  was  ever 
born  in  the  whole  long  list  of  our  patriots  and  heroes. 
No  one  ever  loved  the  people  more  truly  than  he.  He 
was  of  us;  he  stood  for  us;  he  worked  for  us;  he 
believed  in  us ;  and  he  had  no  ambition  but  ambition 
for  our  development.  That  is  the  measure  of  his 
greatness  of  nature  and  it  should  be  the  measure  of 
our  affectionate  gratitude. 

His  intellectual  grasp  of  the  fundamental  problems 
of  a  democracy  was  strong ;  and  it  was  not  an  intellec- 
tual grasp  only,  but  a  moral  grasp  also.  He  had  as 
clear  and  well  reasoned  a  philosophy  of  social  improve- 
ment as  Jefferson  had,  and  he  had  worked  it  out  from 
life  —  he  had  not  merely  got  it  from  books.  And  he 
had  a  humor  and  a  faith  in  the  mass  of  men  as  genuine 
as  Lincoln's.  He  was  a  fundamental,  elemental  man 
—  not  a  mere  product  of  education  and  environment ; 
and  this  is  the  reason  that  he  was  of  close  kinship  to 
us  all.  Nobody  knew  him  who  did  not  have  much  in 
common  with  him. 

A  worthy  statue  of  him,  for  which  we  have  the  pri- 
vilege of  subscribing  will  do  us  credit;  for  it  will 
show  those  who  come  after  us  what  kind  of  man  we  set 
high  value  on  — the  man  who  nobly  builds  for  the 
people  and  serves  the  people  unselfishly.     That  is  the 


95 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVEB 


kind  of  man  to  honor,  for  that  kind  of  man  is  the 
highest  product  and  vindication  of  our  democracy. 

Walter  H.  Page. 

Extract  from  North   Carolma   University  Magazine, 
October,  1906 

*  *  *  No  one  since  Calvin  H.  "Wiley  has  done 
so  much  for  the  children  of  th-e  State  as  Dr.  Mclver. 
No  written  memorial  can  quite  indicate  what  he  had 
come  to  stand  for  in  our  Southern  life  and  thought. 
No  meeting  of  Southern  educators  seemed  complete 
without  him;  no  educational  program  satisfactory 
until  his  name  appeared  on  it.  Almost  every  news- 
paper in  the  State  has  said  that  his  death  was  the 
saddest  calamity  that  could  have  come  to  North  Caro- 
lina in  the  death  of  any  one  of  its  citizens,  and  the 
statement  will  not  be  challenged.  There  are  men  in 
North  Carolina  possessed  of  higher  scholarship  than 
he,  but  there  is  no  one  to  compare  with  him  in  the 
promotion  of  intellectual  advancement  and  civic 
righteousness  —  no  one  who  seems  to  have  been  able 
to  throw  himself  whole-heartedly  and  sympathetically 
into  the  people's  cause  and  labor  so  effectively  for 
their  children's  welfare  and  happiness. 

In  the  beautiful  eulogy  pronounced  over  his  dead 
friend,  Mr.  Bryan  paid  high  tribute  to  Dr.  Mclver 's 
lofty  idealism.  It  was  this  devotion  of  his  to  an  ideal, 
coupled  with  his  boundless  sympathy  for  the  common 
people  and  his  marvelous  power  to  inspire  faith  in 

96 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVEB 


others  that  made  possible  his  splendid  achievements. 
He  never  allowed  himself  to  grow  out  of  touch  with  the 
great  masses.  He  was  laboring  for  their  advancement, 
and  he  well  knew  that  to  help  them  he  must  be  in 
sympathy  with  their  trials  and  struggles,  their  hopes 
and  their  joys.  He  would  meet  the  ignorant  laboring 
man  from  the  backwoods  district  with  the  same 
f riendlj^  smile  and  kindly  greeting  and  the  same  warm 
hand-shake  that  were  given  to  the  highest  official, 
and  tell  him  in  his  inimitable  style  the  same  joke 
perhaps;  and  somehow  the  common  man  knew  that 
beneath  it  all  there  was  genuine  sympathy  —  genuine 
manhood.  In  a  word,  he  was  never  handicapped  by 
becoming  what  the  world  calls  academic. 
*  *  *  Flattering  calls  time  and  again  came  to 
him  to  go  to  other  institutions  in  other  States,  but 
he  disregarded  them  all,  preferring  to  remain  here 
where  it  seemed  to  him  his  services  were  most  needed, 
even  though  they  were  not  in  a  financial  way  so 
well  rewarded.  His  work  came  to  absorb  him 
thoroughly  —  for  he  was  watching  and  guiding  the 
very  realization  of  his  own  dream.  He  saw  that  this 
work  was  not  finished,  and  he  could  not  go.  *  * 
Another  piece  of  his  work  that  must  not  be  for- 
gotten is  the  organization  of  the  Woman's  Associa- 
tion for  the  betterment  of  School  Buildings  ;and 
Grounds.  If  his  fertile  brain  had  done  nothing  more 
for  North  Carolina  than  bring  into  being  this  Asso- 
ciation, the  State  would  still  be  his  debtor  —  I  had 
almost  said  it  would  be  amply  repaid  for  every  dollar 

97 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVEB 


it  has  ever  expended  upon  the  Normal  and  Industrial 
College.  To  appreciate  what  this  splendid  organiza- 
tion has  done  and  is  doing  —  and  it  is  only  in  its 
infancy  —  one  has  but  to  visit  some  of  our  rural  com- 
munities where  its  influence  has  been  felt  —  it  cannot 
be  estimated,  it  cannot  be  told,  one  must  see  it  to 
believe. 

Dr.  Mclver  was  a  loyal  son  to  his  Alma  Mater. 
After  graduation  he  attended  every  commencement 
held  here  but  one,  and  he  would  have  come  then  but 
was  unavoidably  detained  at  home.  His  Alma  Mater, 
too,  has  watched  his  career  with  pride  and  she  has 
gloried  in  his  achievements.  She  has  recognized  in 
him  that  type  of  manhood  she  desires  to  send  out 
into  the  world.  In  1893  she  conferred  upon  him  the 
degree  of  Doctor  of  Letters,  and  again  in  1904  in 
recognition  of  his  faithful,  efficient  service,  she  called 
him  back  to  bestow  upon  him  her  highest  badge  of 
honor,  the  degree  of  Doctor  of  Laws.  The  University 
and  the  State  are  proud  of  his  noble  career.  And  a 
hundred  years  hence,  when  this  educational  revival 
shall  have  become  a  shining  chapter  of  history,  and 
Mclver 's  service  shall  be  appreciated  for  its  true 
worth,  if  truth  be  not  dumb  and  simple  justice  blind, 
posterity  must  accord  him  a  place  with  Murphy 
and  Yancey  and  Wiley,  with  Macon  and  Graham  and 
Morehead  and  Vance,  for  he  has  played  no  little  part 
in  helping  to  shape  the  destiny  of  the  State.  His 
work  will  endure.  ;^^  ^y^  Walker. 


98 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVER 


From   Wake  Forest  Student 

On  another  page  Professor  Carljde  has  a  very  timely 
article  in  appreciation  of  Dr.  Mclver.  But  we  cannot 
refrain  from  the  temptation  of  adding  just  another 
word  of  sympathy  to  the  great  host  of  young  women 
over  the  State  M^ho  had  learned  to  love  him,  for  what 
he  was  and  what  he  had  done  for  them,  but  who  are 
now  saddened  because  in  the  midst  of  a  momentous  life 
their  firm  friend  was  smitten  with  death,  and  is  no 
more.  No  !  Not  that,  for  he  still  lives,  and  long  will  his 
memory  be  cherished  in  North  Carolina.  The  work 
that  he  did  so  well  can  not  die,  neither  can  he,  for  he 
has  reared  his  monument  in  the  hearts  and  out  of  the 
lives  of  mothers  of  the  State,  and  the  children  of  gene- 
rations yet  to  come  will  be  taught  to  revere  and  love 
Dr.  Charles  Duncan  Mclver,  their  mothers'  best 
friend. 

He  can  ill  be  spared  in  the  State  just  now,  for 
there  is  so  much  yet  to  be  done  by  these  mighty  educa- 
tional statesmen,  but  during  his  life  he  builded  so 
broadly  and  so  firmly  that  what  he  has  done  will 
remain  to  influence  others  to  devote  themselves  to 
this  great  field  of  activity  and  to  take  up  th-e  work 
that  our  great  educational  leader  has  laid  down. 

From  Guilford  Collegian,  November,  1906 

IMeasuring  greatness  by  the  results  of  a  life-work, 
no  man  of  North  Carolina  has  equaled  Dr.  Charles 

99 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVER 


Duncan  Mclver  in  greatness.  If  a  man  is  great  who 
causes  two  blades  of  grass  to  grow  where  one  grew 
before,  how  immeasurably  greater  is  he  who  causes 
a  hundred  minds  to  grow  where  one  grew  before ! 
If  he  be  great  who  discovers  a  chemical  or  a  physical 
element  which  advances  science  and  so  revolutionizes 
the  world 's  industries,  how  much  greater  is  he  who  dis- 
covers the  elements  of  a  people's  greatness  and  who 
convinces  them  of  their  power  to  make  good  those 
elements !  If  the  inventor  of  rapid  transit  or  of  tele- 
phonic communication  be  great,  how  little  he  is  com- 
pared with  the  man  who  waited  not  for  the  speedy  car 
nor  for  the  telephone  to  take  to  the  people  the  gospel 
of  work  which  should  lift  them  and  their  children's 
children  out  of  the  darkness  of  ignorance,  who  pointed 
the  way  and  led  them  up  the  steep  places!  What 
sort  of  greatness  is  worth  that  which  in  twenty  years 
touched  for  betterment  the  lives  of  200,000  children, 
who  will  in  an  endless  chain  multiply  his  work  so  long 
as  North  Carolina  shall  stand  as  a  commonwealth? 
This  has  been  Dr.  Mclver 's  work.  Can  any  man 
show  a  greater?  ***** 

The  work  among  us  has  been  so  great  because  of 
the  tireless  passion  for  the  people's  welfare  in  the 
heart  of  this  inspired  teacher  that  the  movement  has 
passed  beyond  our  borders,  and  other  States  both 
north  and  south  of  us  have  felt  the  impact  and  been 
shaken  into  new  life.  They  called  to  him  from  Maine 
to  Louisiana  and  from  the  far  West,  saying:  "Come 
and  help  us." 

100 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVEB 


To  no  call  was  he  deaf.  He  went  as  gladly,  with  as 
much  fire  and  zeal,  to  the  country  school  closing  pre- 
sided over  by  one  of  ''the  Normal  girls"  as  he  did 
to  a  National  Educational  Association's  meeting 
where  he  touched  and  measured  up  to  the  great  minds 
— the  leaders  of  thought  of  the  world. 

Since  the  opening  of  his  college  in  1892,  its  growth 
and  usefulness  have  been  his  first  wish.  To  that  he 
has  given  his  life.  He  made  it  what  the  editor  of  the 
last  Review  of  Reviews  calls  it:  "The  wonderful 
institution"  and  "one  of  the  finest  schools  for  the 
culture  of  women  in  the  world."  The  same  writer 
speaks  of  Dr.  Mclver  as  "one  of  the  most  useful  and 
important  men  of  his  generation  in  America. ' ' 

It  is  safe  to  say  that  there  was  no  educational  or 
civic  cause  to  which  he  did  not  lend  himself.  If  not 
his  voice,  pen  or  presence,  then  his  purse  was  opened 
and  always  with  a  gracious  and  generous  hand. 
No  organization  in  his  home  city  was  complete  without 
him.  He  M^as  Greensboro's  and  North  Carolina's 
first  and  best  beloved  citizen.  Men  once  were  jealous 
of  him  —  but  not  towards  the  end.  He  lived  down  the 
littleness  in  the  hearts  of  others.  The  last  time  this 
writer  saw  him,  he  suggested  the  writing  of  a  paper 
which  should  bring  into  favorable  notice  the  work  of 
one  who  years  ago  had  striven  to  injure  him.  It 
was  a  public  service  which  had  been  rendered  and  he 
thought  it  ought  to  be  acknowledged  publicly.  His 
stern,  sturdy  devotion  to  public  duty  was  superior 
to  any  thought  of  self,  but  he  treasured  no  wrath, 

101 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVER 


he  kept  alive  in  his  heart  no  bitterness.  His  heart 
was  the  heart  of  a  boy.  It  was  the  eternal  youth  in 
him  that  kept  him  bubbling  over  with  fun,  with 
laughter,  wnth  the  quick  sympathy,  with  the  impulse 
to  do  and  to  do  without  delay.  It  was  this  mirthful, 
loving  heart  of  the  boy  that  drew  all  hearts  to  him 
with  a  magnetism  not  to  be  resisted.  In  his  pocket, 
when  he  had  so  suddenly  fallen  asleep,  was  resting 
a  communication  from  a  little  girl  who  had  "copied 
for  Dr.  Mclver's  amusement"  a  rollicksome  anecdote 
which  she  thought  would  make  him  laugh.  He  did 
laugh  over  it  and  made  her  little  heart  glad  by  an 
appreciative  message. 

He  married  Miss  Lula  Martin,  of  Winston,  August 
29,  1885.  In  the  early  days  of  his  career,  some  friends 
called  her  his  buoy  and  no  woman  ever  more  truly 
kept  alive  in  her  husband  the  hope  and  buoyancy  so 
necessary  for  the  success  of  such  far-reaching  plans 
and  labors  as  were  his.  At  his  side  in  the  conflict, 
abreast  with  him  through  the  thick  of  the  battle 
for  ' '  State  Aid, ' '  she  did  not  cease  to  strive  with  him 
and  for  the  cause  till  success  came.  Then  like  the 
loyal  wife  and  mother  that  she  is,  she  retired  to  her 
fireside  proud  and  happy. 

God  laid  his  finger  upon  him  and  he  sleeps  —  the 
body  sleeps.  The  spirit  lives.  Honesty  and  faithful- 
ness to  his  vision  were  his  characteristics.  No  other 
man  so  filled  with  civic  virtue  has  lived  among  us. 
His  impress  upon  North  Carolina  will  never  be  effaced. 
Our  young  men   and  women   have   largely   imbibed 

102 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVER 


his  traits.  These   will    teach   coming   generations   to 
honor  him  as  their  greatest  teacher. 

As  a  leader  of  men  he  was  wise  and  brave.  When 
opposition,  misfortun-e,  trials  came,  he  was  constant. 
When  justl}^  offended,  his  wrath  was  temperate.  As 
a  husband,  father,  friend,  he  was  loyal  and  loving 
down  to  the  gates  of  death. 

Annie  G.  Randall. 

From  The  Religious  Herald,  Richmond,  Va. 

*  *  *  Certain  travelers,  says  Mazzini,  relate 
that  they  saw  at  Teneriffe  a  prodigiously  lofty  tree, 
which  by  its  immense  extent  of  foliage,  collected  all 
the  moisture  of  the  atmosphere,  to  discharge  it  when 
the  branches  were  shaken  in  a  shower  of  pure  and 
refreshing  water  upon  the  parched  ground.  Such  is 
the  function  of  great  men  in  this  world.  They  focus 
the  rays  of  light;  they  detect  the  subtle  currents 
of  thought  that  are  building  up  continents  and  wear- 
ing away  islands;  they  behold  the  divine  significance 
of  the  present  day,  so  commonplace  to  eyes  not 
"purged  with  euphrasy  and  rue";  they  embody  the 
potentiality  of  their  time  and  magically  reflect  the 
future;  they  are  the  pathfinders  of  mankind.  Such 
an  one  was  Charles  D.  Mclver,  who  by  a  sudden  death 
last  week  was  taken  in  the  prime  of  life  from  high 
public  duties.  The  South  has  lost  a  true  son;  the 
nation,  a  friend;  and  education,  a  creative  spirit. 


103 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVER 


I  recall  distinctly  the  first  time  that  I  saw  Dr. 
Mclver.  It  was  at  a  meeting  some  years  ago  held 
under  the  auspices  of  the  Richmond  Education  Asso- 
ciation. He  lift-ed  for  me  the  curtain  upon  the  field 
of  popular  education  in  a  democracy.  With  the  zeal, 
eloquence  and  contagious  patriotism  of  Horace  Mann 
or  J.  L.  M.  Curry,  he  urged  the  necessity  of  making 
the  schools  eificient  by  better  houses,  longer  terms, 
more  adequate  salaries  and  up-to-date  methods, 
because  our  material  prosperitj^  social  progress  and 
political  power  depend  upon  universal  enlightenment. 

On  another  occasion  also,  Dr.  Mclver  did  valiant 
service  for  this  State.  When  on  March  28,  190-1,  a 
few  friends  of  education  were  called  together  in  the 
Senate  Chamber  by  the  Governor  of  Virginia,  with 
a  view  to  forming  the  Co-operative  Education  Asso- 
ciation, an  event  that  marked  a  new  era  in  the  history 
of  the  Commonwealth,  Dr.  Mclver  was  there,  to 
encourage,  guide  and  inspire  this  movement  in  the 
interest  of  the  people.  For  such  constructive  work 
as  this  in  the  cause  of  education,  he  was  peculiarly 
fitted  by  his  magnetic  personality,  solid  judgment, 
intense  patriotism  and  enkindling  enthusiasm.  To 
these  qualities  he  added  an  experience  rich  in  results 
to  his  native  State  of  North  Carolina.  It  was  an 
epoch  in  the  development  of  that  State  when,  about 
two  decades  ago.  Dr.  Mclver  and  his  yoke-fellow. 
Dr.  Alderman,  young  men  aglow  with  the  spirit  of 
progress,  began  amid  general  lethargy  a  campaign 
for  the  common  schools.    At  first  the  work  was  slow; 

104 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVER 


ideas  had  to  be  forged  and  energies  awakened.  But 
ere  long  these  prophets  of  a  new  order,  industrial, 
social,  and  political,  were  cheered  by  widespread 
interest  in  all  kinds  of  education.  They  made  it  plain 
that  it  is  the  highest  duty  of  the  people  in  the  South 
to  put  their  money,  heart  and  brains  into  the  school. 
The  result  is  written  in  the  unexampled  power  which 
the  Old  North  State  has  been  showing  in  recent  years. 
To  four  aspects  of  education  did  Dr.  Mclver  in  the 
main  devote  his  energies.  First,  the  common  schools, 
which  he  believed  essential  to  the  welfare  of  the  masses. 
Secondly,  the  training  of  teachers,  because  he  dis- 
cerned that  all  real  efficiency  in  our  schools  must 
begin  with  well-equipped  teachers.  Thirdly,  the 
education  of  women,  because  they  are  the  chief 
teachers  of  the  children,  both  in  the  home  and  in  the 
school.  To  this  end  he  founded  the  North  Carolina 
Normal  and  Industrial  College,  over  which  he  presided 
with  such  dignity  and  power  till  the  time  of  his 
death.  Fourthly,  the  nationalizing  of  the  educational 
spirit  and  ideals  of  the  South.  He  loved  his  native 
State,  but  he  loved  it  as  a  member  of  the  Union;  he 
loved  the  South,  but  he  loved  it  as  an  integral  part 
of  the  American  Nation.  He  was  big  enough  to 
embrace  in  his  affections  the  interests  of  the  whole 
country,  and  he  wished  all  education  to  throb  respon- 
sively  to  this  patriotic  sentiment  of  unity.  Hence 
he  was  a  vital  agent  in  the  work  of  the  Southern 
Education  Board,  of  which  he  was  the  Secretary.  He 
stood   squarely   for   the    conciliatory   and    beneficent 

105 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVEB 


policies  of  that  large  movement.  In  consequence,  his 
influence  was  by  no  means  confined  to  North  Carolina 
or  the  South.  He  had  friends  in  all  parts  of  the 
Republic,  in  which  his  personality  cemented  the  bonds 
of  Union. 

Many  a  demagogue  among  us  has  made  more  noise 
than  Dr.  Mclver,  but  no  worker,  perhaps,  has  been 
more  solidly  useful  in  all  the  recent  creative  enter- 
prises of  our  Southern  people.  He  was  without  self- 
seeking.  Knowing  the  stress  of  circumstances  in 
which  the  South  is  placed,  he  was  yet  brave  and  cheer- 
ful in  his  outlook  upon  the  future.  Quickening  in 
every  way  the  individual  growth  and  agricultural 
development  of  the  South,  he  kept  always  before  him 
the  supremacy  of  the  spiritual  as  it  operates  in  educa- 
tion, in  law,  in  political  morality,  and  in  religion. 
"As  poor,  yet  making  many  rich."  If  any  young  man 
in  the  South  is  in  search  of  a  concrete  ideal  to  follow 
in  life,  I  can  point  him  unreservedly  to  Charles  D. 
Mclver,  who,  as  a  friend  of  humanity,  had  a  sure 
sense  of  power  in  behalf  of  humanity. 

S.  C.  M. 

From  Richmond  Times-Dispatch 

No  man  in  the  South  has  done  more  to  advance 
the  cause  of  education,  and  especially  to  dignify  the 
calling  of  teaching,  than  the  late  Charles  D.  Mclver, 
of  North  Carolina,  whose  sudden  death  was  announced 
in  yesterday's  Times-Dispatch.  By  his  public 
addresses  and  in  his  writings  for  the  newspapers  and 

106 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVER 


magazines,  he  impressed  with  overwhelming  force 
the  importance  of  educating  the  children,  and  the 
greater  importance  of  committing  their  training  to 
the  best  teachers.  He  was  himself  an  educator  of 
teachers,  and  the  honorable  institution  at  Greensboro 
over  which  he  presided  has  been  the  means  of  supply- 
ing to  the  North  Carolina  schools  the  class  of  teachers 
in  which  he  believed.  Every  graduate  sent  out  from 
the  State  Normal  College  was  not  only  trained  in  the 
art  of  instruction,  but  was  infused  with  the  spirit  of 
Mclver,  and  impressed  with  the  dignity  and  sanctity 
of  her  calling.  Dr.  Mclver  was  a  bundle  of  energy 
and  nervous  and  spiritual  force,  and  when  death 
came  it  found  him  at  work  in  the  cause  to  which  he 
had  given  his  mind,  his  heart  and  his  character  in 
complete  consecration.  His  death  is  an  irreparable 
loss  to  North  Carolina  and  to  the  educational  prop- 
aganda of  the  South,  but  the  energy  and  spirit  which 
he  gave  to  the  movement  will  be  a  continuing  and 
perpetual  monument.  The  Times-Dispatch  finds  some 
consolation  in  the  remembrance  that  in  his  life  we 
gave  him  words  of  comfort,  good  cheer  and  encourage- 
ment and  now  that  his  career  is  closed,  in  sweet 
sorrow  we  lay  upon  his  bier  this  wreath  of  pansies, 
rosemary  and  laurel.  *  *  * 

Not  long  before  his  taking-off,  a  citizen  of  New 
York  died  at  a  ripe  old  age.  He  had  heaped  up 
treasure  to  the  value  of  fifty  millions  and  more,  and 
he  did  it  honestly.  The  worst  that  was  ever  said  of 
him  was  that  he  drove  hard  bargains  with  those  who 

107 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVEB 


were  in  urgent  need  of  ready  cash,  but  his  customers 
were  rich  and  could  afford  to  pay  the  price.  He 
did  not  trade  with  poor  men,  or  widows  and  orphans. 
He  had  done  something  for  charity  in  his  day,  he  had 
led  a  moral  life,  and  he  was  devoted  to  his  wife.  He 
was  a  man  of  national  reputation.  His  name  was 
familiar  to  everybody,  and  his  birthday  anniversary 
was  recorded  in  the  New  York  newspapers  as  regularly 
as  it  rolled  around.  When  the  end  came  suddenly, 
there  was  a  "flurry  in  Wall  Street,"  for  he  was  a 
power  in  the  financial  world,  and  the  newspapers 
"featured"  that  story  of  his  death,  because  it  was  a 
noteworthy  event. 

But  we  searched  in  vain  the  editorial  columns  of 
the  newspapers  for  any  "noble  tribute"  to  his  charac- 
ter, and  if  any  newspaper  recorded  that  he  was  a 
useful  citizen,  that  the  world  was  better  for  his  living, 
that  he  did  anything  for  the  uplift  of  humanity,  we 
failed  to  note  it.  Charles  Duncan  Mclver  was  a 
poor  school-teacher  —  we  mean  a  school-teacher  who 
Avas  poor  in  purse,  for  he  was  one  of  the  best  teachers 
of  his  day  and  generation.  He  never  bothered  about 
money  for  himself,  although  he  spent  much  of  his  time 
in  trying  to  induce  the  taxpayers  to  pay  better  salaries 
to  the  men  and  women  who  were  educating  their 
children.  Wall  Street  never  heard  of  him,  and  his 
death  had  no  more  effect  on  "the  market"  than  the 
death  of  a  pauper.  But  every  newspaper  in  North 
Carolina  made  his  taking-off  the  subject  of  an  edi- 
torial   eulogy   and   they   vied   with    one    another   in 

108 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVEB 


praising  his  character  and  his  work.  Newspapers  in 
other  States  were  quite  as  generous  in  their  laudations, 
and  his  remains  had  hardly  been  laid  to  rest  before 
a  movement  was  started  to  erect  a  monument  to  his 
memory. 

Look  on  that  picture,  then  on  this.  Why  tlie  differ- 
ence in  popular  estimate  and  popular  regard?  The 
one  worked  for  himself ;  the  other  worked  for  others. 
The  one  got  all  he  could ;  the  other  gave  all  he  could. 
The  one  heaped  up  ;  the  other  scattered  abroad. 

Verily  they  have  their  reward. 

Fro7n   Columbia  State 

The  people  of  South  Carolina  share  with  those  in 
North  Carolina  the  deep  sorrow  at  the  death  of  Dr. 
Charles  D.  Mclver.  Dr.  Mclver  is  well  remembered 
here.  On  several  occasions  he  spoke  to  large  audiences 
upon  the  subject  of  popular  education,  twice  in  the 
opera  house  and  once  in  the  state  house.  Not  one  who 
heard  him  failed  to  be  interested,  and  few  who  heard 
him  have  forgotten  the  great  force  of  the  man  and  the 
force  of  the  great  ideas  he  so  entertainingly  presented. 
Dr.  Mclver  was  a  member  of  the  Southern  Education 
Board,  and  North  and  South  Carolina  comprised  the 
territory  allotted  to  him.  He  had  made  himself 
famous  before  he  ever  came  to  South  Carolina,  how- 
ever, having  with  Dr.  E.  A.  Alderman,  now  president 
of  the  University  of  Virginia,  conducted  a  memorable 
campaign  for  popular  education  in  North  Carolina. 

109 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVER 


He  was  one  school  teacher  who  was  a  great  "mixer," 
and  when  he  got  out  among  the  people  of  the  country 
he  was  able  with  his  homely  manner  and  his  homely 
illustrations  and  his  great  fund  of  common  sense,  to 
impress  them  with  the  great  importance  of  building 
up  their  schools  at  any  cost.  His  great  work,  how- 
ever, to  which  he  has  devoted  his  life,  was  the  educa- 
tion of  women.  It  was  upon  this  subject  that  he  made 
an  address  in  Columbia  at  the  meeting  of  the  Southern 
Teachers'  Association  several  years  ago.  Under  his 
able,  inspiring  administration  the  North  Carolina  Nor- 
mal and  Industrial  College  for  women  at  Greensboro 
has  been  built  up  in  the  face  of  adversity  and  mis- 
fortune into  one  of  the  best  in  the  South.  Upon  the 
death  of  Dr.  J.  L.  M.  Curry,  Dr.  Mclver  was  named 
by  a  large  number  of  admirers  as  a  fit  successor  as 
general  agent  of  the  Peabody  Education  Board.  This 
position,  it  was  thought,  called  for  just  such  powers 
as  Dr.  Mclver  displayed.  On  the  whole  North  Caro- 
lina loses  one  of  its  most  noble  and  valuable  citizens, 
and  South  Carolina  loses  a  friend  whom  she  had  just 
begun  to  appreciate. 

From  Baltimore  Sun 

The  sudden  death  of  Dr.  Charles  Duncan  Mclv-er 
removes  one  of  the  educational  leaders  of  the  South. 
When  he  graduated  from  the  State  University  at 
Chapel  Hill  he  found  the  public  schools  of  North 
Carolina  in  a  deplorable  condition.    The  great  major- 

110 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVEB 


ity  of  the  teachers  were  poorly  equipped  for  their  task, 
the  schoolhouses  in  most  of  the  rural  districts  were  built 
of  logs  or  were  plank  boxes,  and  the  percentage  of 
illiteracy  was  probably  greater  than  in  any  other  State. 
From  his  entrance  into  active  life,  Dr.  Mclver  devoted 
every  effort  to  bringing  about  new  conditions  in  his 
native  State.  First,  to  arouse  public  sentiment,  Dr. 
Mclver  and  Dr.  Edwin  A.  Alderman,  now  president 
of  the  University  of  Virginia,  spent  two  years  in  going 
through  the  State,  preaching  and  teaching,  holding 
teachers'  institutes  in  nearly  all  the  96  counties.  Out 
of  this  campaign  grew  the  movement  that  led  to  the 
establishment  of  the  State  Normal  College  for  women 
and  the  Agricultural  and  Mechanical  College  for  boys. 
In  the  face  of  a  hundred  obstacles.  Dr.  IMcIver  suc- 
ceeded in  founding  the  Normal  College,  of  which  he 
was  the  first  and  only  president.  As  president  of  the 
Southern  Educational  Association,  secretary  of  the 
Southern  Board  of  Education,  and  honored  officer 
of  sectional  and  national  associations,  he  came  to  be 
the  recognized  leader  of  the  educational  movement  in 
the  South  that  has  attracted  attention  in  every  part 
of  the  country. 

From  The  Southern  Workman,  Hampton,  Va. 

The  death  of  Dr.  Charles  D.  Mclver,  President  of 
the  State  Normal  College  at  Greensboro,  N.  C,  removes 
one  of  the  most  interesting  and  striking  charac- 
ters of  the  South.    Dr.  Mclver  was  a  leading  southern 

111 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVEE 


educator,  and  perhaps  did  as  much  to  make  the  com- 
mon schools  of  the  South  what  they  are  as  any  one 
man,  with  the  possible  expection  of  Dr.  Curry. 

He  was  a  man  of  rare  ability  as  a  speaker.  His 
sympathy  with  his  people  and  his  knowledge  of  their 
real  condition  gave  him  wonderful  power  upon  the 
platform.  No  one  who  listened  to  his  impassioned 
appeal  at  Lexington,  Kentucky,  at  the  last  session  of 
the  Conference  for  Education  in  the  South,  will  be 
likely  to  forget  the  wonderful  combination  of  delight- 
ful humor  and  intense  earnestness  which  character- 
ized his  address.  He  never  spoke  without  appealing 
for  better  opportunities  for  the  young  women  of  the 
South.  With  the  power  of  an  artist  he  pictured  the 
place  which  women  must  hold  in  the  building  up  of 
a  Christian  civilization.  He  seldom  spoke  in  public 
without  making  an  appeal  for  better  chances  for  the 
teacher.  He  often  called  attention  to  the  fact  that  the 
average  teacher  in  the  South  receives  a  smaller  wage 
than  the  men  who  break  stones  upon  the  road. 

In  the  Institution  at  Greensboro  which  Dr.  Mclver 
founded  and  to  which  he  devoted  the  best  years  of 
his  life,  he  created  an  enthusiasm  for  the  education 
of  the  common  people  that  means  much  to  the  future 
of  the  South. 

When  the  story  of  the  real  reconstruction  of  the 
South  is  written,  the  name  of  Charles  Duncan  Mclver 
will  stand  out  in  large  letters. 


112 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVER 


From  The  Educational  Exchange,  Alabama 

Dr.  Melver  is  dead.  So  ran  a  few  days  ago  the 
saddening  message  over  the  South. 

Millions  knew  him,  thousands  mourn  his  loss, 
hundreds  will  remember  him  while  life  is  allotted  them. 

Charles  Duncan  McIver  saw  work  to  do,  and  began 
it.  Of  that  group  who  have  refought  recently  the 
battles  of  intelligence  against  ignorance,  he  was  chief. 

Always  in  earnest,  ever  in  good  humor,  completely 
saturated  with  the  facts,  never  at  a  loss  for  a  word — 
Dr.  McIver  was  an  apostle  of  education  such  as  Paul 
was  of  religion.  He  literally  wore  himself  out  in  the 
service  of  the  people.  He  found  time  during  his  vaca- 
tion to  travel  over  the  Southern  States  carrying  his 
inspiring  message  to  thousands  of  teachers,  and  there- 
by blessing  myriads  of  children. 

Sorrow  has  fallen  into  the  hearts  of  all  those 
teachers  in  Alabama  who  heard  Dr.  McIver  at  the 
University  Summer  School.  Many  will  take  out  their 
notebooks  and  read  again  the  words  penciled  there — 
and  a  new  meaning  will  come  from  those  earnest,  ten- 
der, beseeching  words. 

From  The  Louisiana  School  Review 

The  South  and  the  whole  country  as  well  suffered 
an  irreparable  loss  in  the  sudden  death  of  Dr.  Charles 
Duncan  McIver  on  September  17,  1906.  Even  at  the 
time  of  the  stroke  of  apoplexy  from  which  he  died, 

113 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVEB 


he  was  in  the  exercise  of  a  public  function  as  a  repre- 
sentative of  his  State,  being  one  of  a  committee  of 
escort  and  reception  extended  to  a  visiting  statesman 
of  national  reputation — Mr.  W.  J.  Bryan. 

Dr.  Mclver  was  identified  with  the  great  educational 
movement  now  going  on  in  his  own  State  of  North 
Carolina,  and  in  all  the  South.  As  an  institute 
instructor  for  a  number  of  years  in  company  with 
other  young  North  Carolina  men — such  as  Edwin  A. 
Alderman  and  Charles  B.  Ayeock — he  early  impressed 
himself  upon  the  notice  and  appreciation  of  the  citi- 
zenship of  his  State.  He  succeeded  in  securing  the 
establishment  of  the  Normal  and  Industrial  College 
for  women  at  Greensboro,  of  which  he  was  made  Presi- 
dent. In  this  position  he  has  continuously  carried 
forward  the  solution  of  the  educational  problem — 
which,  as  he  clearly  saw  in  the  beginning,  was  the 
introduction  of  trained  teachers  into  every  county 
and  every  school.  Meanwhile  he  had  developed  power 
and  influence  as  a  speaker  and  a  worker  that  brought 
many  demands  for  his  assistance  in  other  States. 
Louisiana  had  him  during  the  present  year.  The  great- 
est meeting  of  Louisiana  teachers  that  ever  assembled 
— which  was  that  held  in  Baton  Rouge  last  April— had 
Dr.  Mclver  as  one  of  the  principal  speakers.  Things 
he  said  during  those  three  days  have  been  bearing 
fruit  in  every  parish  in  Louisiana  and  the  work  is 
still  going  on.  One  of  his  strongest  lines  of  work  was 
the  urging  of  special  taxes.  His  suggestions  to  super- 
intendents and  school  officers  to  study  the  assessment 

114 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVEE 


rolls  with  a  view  to  discovering  how  much  actual  taxes 
the  wealthiest  citizens  would  have  to  pay  in  support 
of  a  proposed  school  tax,  or  how  much  the  chief  oppo- 
nents of  the  measure  would  have  to  pay  —  and  what 
proportion  these  amounts  would  bear  to  what  they 
ought  to  pay,  etc.  —  these  suggestions  of  Dr.  Mclver 
have  probably  caused  more  ' '  trouble ' '  as  well  as  more 
actual  progress  in  Louisiana  since  that  time  than  can 
be  estimated.  Our  schoolmen  will  ever  have  reason  to 
be  grateful  that  his  life  was  spared  till  after  its  influ- 
ence had  been  directly  given  to  them.  His  body  now 
may  rest  from  labor  —  but  his  spirit  marches  on. 

It  is  not  generally  known  that  there  is  in  Louisiana 
a  substantial  representation  of  a  Mclver  idea  in 
school  building,  that  may  now  serve  as  a  memorial  in 
a  small  way  to  our  departed  fellow-worker;  namely, 
the  two  octagon  towers  forming  the  front  of  the  main 
building  of  the  Southwestern  Louisiana  Industrial 
Institute  at  Lafayette,  which  are  duplications,  in 
part,  of  two  similar  towers  in  the  main  building  of 
the  North  Carolina  Normal  and  Industrial  College. 

But  Mclver 's  personality  and  self -surrender  to  the 
general  cause  of  education  is  his  great  monument  with 
us  and  with  all. 

From  The  Commoner,  Lincoln,  Nebraska 

On  another  page  will  be  found  a  well  deserved  trib- 
ute to  the  late  Charles  Duncan  Mclver  from  the  pen 
of  Dr.   Albert   Shaw,   the   editor  of  the  Review   of 

115 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVEB 


Reviews.  Dr.  Mclver  died  suddenly  on  the  special  train 
which  carried  Mr.  Bryan  through  North  Carolina  a 
few  days  ago.  The  latter 's  first  visit  to  North  Carolina 
was  made  twelve  years  ago  at  Dr.  Mclver 's  invitation 
and  from  that  day  they  were  close  personal  as  well 
as  political  friends.  Dr.  Mclver  was  a  rare  man. 
Having  worked  his  way  up  from  an  humble  station 
he  first  showed  what  an  ambitious  young  man  could 
do  for  himself,  and  then  he  dedicated  himself  to  the 
task  of  showing  what  a  noble  and  unselfish  man  could 
do  for  his  fellows.  He  received  flattering  offers  to 
go  into  other  occupations,  but  he  regarded  his  occupa- 
tion, that  of  teaching,  as  a  calling  to  him  and  resisted 
the  temptation.  He  did  not  leave  much  money,  but 
he  left  what  money  cannot  buy — a  good  name  which, 
as  the  wise  man  says,  is  rather  to  be  chosen  than  great 
riches,  and  loving  favor,  which  is  to  be  preferred  to 
silver  and  gold.  The  fortune  which  he  left  can  not 
be  computed  in  dollars,  and  is  a  legacy  to  the  entire 
land.  So  great  was  the  sorrow  caused  by  his  death 
that  the  political  meeting  which  was  arranged  for  his 
city  that  evening  was  converted  into  a  memorial  meet- 
ing. How  this  old  world  would  be  transformed  if  all 
of  its  people  cherished  the  ideal  which  Dr.  Mclver 
followed  along  an  ever  brightening  way ! 

From  New  York  Times 

The  sudden  and  unexpected  death  of  Dr.  Charles 
Duncan  Mclver,  of  North  Carolina,  is  a  substantial  loss 

116 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVER 


to  the  cause  of  education  in  this  country.  He  was  the 
President  of  the  State  Normal  and  Industrial  College 
at  Greensboro,  was  a  member  of  the  Southern  Educa- 
tion Board,  and  had  charge  of  the  field  work  of  the 
Board  in  his  State.  He  had  been  active  in  organizing 
Summer  Schools  and  Teachers'  Institutes  in  North 
Carolina,  and  was  a  tireless,  energetic,  and  very 
influential  advocate  of  general  education.  With  all 
a  Southern  man 's  profound  disapproval  of  any  mixing 
of  the  races,  he  held  that  it  was  the  most  obvious  and 
important  duty  of  the  State  to  provide  for  each  of 
the  races  the  best  possible  schooling.  In  view  of  the 
urgent  needs  of  the  South  he  advocated  industrial 
schooling  as  the  dominant  element.  We  think  that 
there  are  very  few  men  in  any  section  of  the  country 
who  have  done  better  work  for  education  in  a  more 
effectual  way  than  he.  He  was  of  Scottish  descent, 
and  had  the  vigor,  the  shrewdness,  the  quick  intuition 
of  the  practical  of  his  ancestry.  He  was  a  Southerner 
to  the  core,  and  had  the  warmth,  fervor,  and  lovable- 
ness  of  the  best  strain  of  Southern  blood.  And  he  had 
what  may  be  called  a  Scottish-Southern  gift  of  public 
advocacy,  direct  and  well  defined  statement,  the  zest 
of  deep  conviction,  a  wit  that  flashed  like  a  rapier,  but 
disarmed  rather  than  wounded  an  opponent;  a  grasp 
of  principles  and  generalizations  of  a  high  order, 
and  a  sympathy  with  his  fellow-men  that  opened  the 
way  for  him  to  all  hearts.  A  brave,  faithful,  generous, 
and  gifted  leader,  he  will  be  sadly  missed. 


117 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVER 


From  Little  Bock   Gazette,  Arkansas 

Dr.  Charles  D.  Mclver,  whose  sudden  death  occurred 
September  17th,  while  on  his  way  to  Greensboro,  N.  C, 
as  a  member  of  the  reception  committee  accompany- 
ing Hon.  W.  J.  Bryan  to  that  city,  was  well  known  to 
many  of  the  educators  of  Arkansas.  Hon.  John  H. 
Hinemon,  in  speaking  of  him,  said : 

"I  feel  that  in  the  death  of  Dr.  Mclver  I  have  lost 
a  personal  friend  of  many  years'  standing.  He  was 
widely  known  among  the  educators  of  this  country, 
having  for  many  years  been  a  member  of  the  National 
Educational  Association,  and  standing  in  the  front 
ranks  of  those  who  were  prominent  in  its  councils. 
Two  years  ago  he  lacked  only  two  votes  of  being  elected 
president  of  this  great  body,  and  it  was  understood 
that  at  the  next  meeting  he  would  be  unanimously 
chosen  for  this  office. 

"Dr.  Mclver  was  a  man  of  most  attractive  manners 
and  it  was  esteemed  a  privilege  to  number  him  among 
one 's  friends.  A  more  conscientious  man  I  have  never 
known.  As  an  instructor  he  was  second  to  none  in  the 
South,  and  the  position  which  he  occupied  as  President 
of  the  State  Normal  and  Industrial  College  of  North 
Carolina  attested  the  esteem  in  which  he  was  held  in 
that  State.  The  eulogy  delivered  by  Mr.  Bryan  in 
speaking  of  Dr.  Mclver 's  life  was  no  exaggeration. 
His  life  was  indeed  an  ideal  one  and  no  man  ever  left 
a  clearer  record.     He  will  be  sadly  missed  by  those 


118 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVEB 


who  have  enjoyed  his  presence  at  the  annual  meetings 
of  the  National  Educational  Association." 

From  The  American  Monthly  Review  of  Reviews, 
October,  1906 

Charles  Duncan  Mclver,  who  died  suddenly  last 
month,  was  one  of  the  most  useful  and  important 
men  of  his  generation  in  America.  If  the  country  did 
not  know  him  well,  it  was  because  he  was  too  busy 
serving  its  highest  interests  to  impress  himself,  as  he 
might  easily  have  done,  upon  the  entire  nation.  Dr. 
Mclver  was  the  President  of  the  North  Carolina  State 
Normal  and  Industrial  College,  an  institution  for 
young  women  at  Greensboro.  That  would  have  been 
a  worthy  and  honorable  post  for  any  man  to  fill,  but 
Dr.  Mclver  was  much  more  than  the  administrative 
head  of  a  school  for  girls.  He  was  a  great  educational 
statesman  at  a  time  and  in  a  section  where  the  educa- 
tion of  the  children  ought  in  truth  to  be  the  foremost 
task  of  the  real  leader  of  a  State. 

Dr.  Mclver  was  not  quite  forty-six  years  old;  but 
his  influence  was  already  great,  and  his  achievement 
was  of  the  sort  that  saves  imperiled  civilizations  and 
transforms  communities.  He  recognized  the  fact  that 
the  South  was  backward  in  its  educational  work,  and 
from  the  very  day  that  he  graduated  at  the  University 
of  North  Carolina  he  became  an  apostle  of  the  move- 
ment to  improve  the  schools.  He  became  an  organizer 
of  public  school  systems  in  the  cities  of  his  State,  and  a 

119 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVER 


leader  in  the  work  of  creating  rural  schools  under  con- 
ditions of  lack  and  need  such  as  can  hardly  be  under- 
stood in  the  North.  He  organized  and  conducted  teach- 
ers' institutes  in  all  the  counties,  and  became  the  great 
propagandist  of  progress  in  school  affairs  throughout 
North  Carolina. 

He  soon  came  to  realize  the  fact  that  a  good  school 
system  could  not  be  possible  without  a  better  trained 
corps  of  teachers,  and  he  determined  to  provide  an 
institution  that  would  receive  a  great  number  of 
promising  girls  from  all  parts  of  the  State,  give  them 
an  education  at  small  cost,  and  train  them  to  be 
teachers  of  exactly  the  type  needed  in  the  schools, 
particularly  of  the  rural  districts.  He  appealed  to 
the  Legislature  with  ultimate  success,  secured  his 
appropriation  in  1891,  and  opened  his  school  some 
fourteen  years  ago.  The  State  has  dealt  with  him 
generously,  for  Dr.  Mclver's  enthusiasm  has  never 
failed  to  carry  the  Legislature  in  the  direction  of  his 
desires.  Other  very  important  educational  posts  from 
time  to  time  were  open  to  him,  but  he  felt  that  his 
work  could  best  center  in  the  direction  and  develop- 
ment of  the  wonderful  institution  he  created  at  Greens- 
boro. It  is  one  of  the  finest  schools  for  the  culture 
of  women  in  the  whole  world  and  it  will  stand  as  a 
monument  to  Mclver's  energy  and  splendid  talent, 
both  as  an  organizer  and  as  a  trainer  of  teachers. 

In  due  time  Dr.  Mclver  became  the  leader  of  a 
remarkable  movement  in  his  State  for  the  adoption 
of  a  plan  of  adequate  local  taxation  to  supplement 

120 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVER 


State  funds  in  the  carrying  on  of  schools.  The  trans- 
forming results  of  this  campaign  ought  to  be  widely 
known  for  their  inspirational  value  elsewhere.  His  per- 
sonal influence  as  an  educational  leader  could  not  be 
confined  to  the  bounds  of  his  o^\ti  State  and  he  became 
influential  throughout  the  South  as  one  of  the  half 
dozen  foremost  men  in  a  movement  for  improving 
school  legislation  and  bettering  practical  educational 
conditions. 

He  was  a  man  of  remarkable  eloquence,  and  of 
great  readiness  and  power  on  all  occasions  in  public 
speech.  He  was  famous  for  his  wit,  and  for  his 
unlimited  store  of  amusing  incidents  and  anecdotes. 
When  the  Southern  Education  Board  was  formed 
some  years  ago  he  became  one  of  its  members,  and  as 
chairman  of  its  campaign  committee  his  labors  were 
incessant  and  of  priceless  service  to  the  cause.  He 
was  president  of  the  Southern  Educational  Associa- 
tion last  year,  and  was  always  one  of  the  most  promi- 
nent men  in  the  National  Association,  counting  among 
his  close  personal  friends  the  foremost  educators  in 
the  United  States  throughout  the  North  as  well  as  the 
South.  If  he  had  chosen  to  turn  his  energies  into 
political  channels  he  would  have  been  Governor  of  his 
State  and  then  United  States  Senator. 

His  efficiency  and  his  gifts  of  leadership  would 
have  made  him  a  marked  man,  and  a  rare  success  in 
any  profession  or  calling.  But  he  gloried  in  the  work 
he  had  chosen,  and  believed  that  the  right  training 
of  wom.en,  for  the  sake  of  the  home  and  the  common 

121 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVER 


school,  was  the  most  fundamentally  important  thing 
with  which  he  could  possibly  concern  himself;  and  so 
it  was  that  he  gave  his  strength  and  his  life  to  that 
work.  He  can  be  ill  spared,  but  he  had  builded  so 
broadly  and  staunchly  that  what  he  has  done  will 
remain.  Furthermore,  he  had  a  fine  gift  for  working 
with  other  men  and  for  bringing  forward  young 
associates  and  colleagues  imbued  with  his  ideas  and 
spirit,  and  trained  to  promote  educational  progress 
along  the  lines  he  had  laid  down.  Thus,  his  work 
will  remain ;  his  memory  will  long  be  honored  in  North 
Carolina;  and  in  the  loss  of  their  noble  educational 
leader  many  of  the  citizens  of  his  State  will  be  the 
more  firmly  resolved  to  devote  themselves  to  the  great 
cause  of  which  he  was  chief  apostle. 

Albert  Shaw. 

Editorial  in  The  Outlook,  New  York,  Sep.  29,  1906 

In  the  group  of  men  who  must  be  counted  among 
the  real  leaders  of  the  South  of  today.  Dr.  Charles 
D.  Mclver,  who  died  suddenly  on  a  train  in  North 
Carolina  last  week,  held  a  foremost  position.  Born 
in  Moore  County,  North  Carolina,  a  descendant  of 
Scotch  Presbyterians,  his  pluck,  indomitable  energy, 
and  practical  sagacity  bore  witness  to  the  strain  in  his 
blood.  The  University  of  North  Carolina,  on  its 
beautiful  eminence  on  College  Hill,  was  his  Alma 
Mater,  as  it  was  of  a  number  of  the  leaders  of  the 
new  educational  movement,  among  them  Dr.  Alder- 

122 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVEB 


man,  now  President  of  the  University  of  Virginia. 
Dr.  Mclver  went  at  once  from  college  into  educational 
work.  He  assisted  in  the  organization  of  the  public 
school  systems  of  Winston  and  Durham  in  his  native 
State;  in  1886  he  joined  the  faculty  of  Peace  Insti- 
tute, in  Raleigh;  from  1889  to  1892  he  was  State 
Conductor  of  Teachers'  Institutes  in  nearly  all  parts 
of  his  State.  He  was  one  of  the  group  of  young  men 
upon  whose  souls  the  illiteracy  of  North  Carolina  lay 
like  a  weight,  and  who  responded  to  the  silent  appeal 
of  the  uneducated  with  the  passion  and  fervor  of 
religious  enthusiasm.  These  young  men  entered  upon 
an  educational  campaign  which  must  be  regarded  as 
one  of  the  most  interesting  and  picturesque  incidents 
in  the  educational  history  of  the  country,  though  to 
the  campaigners  it  was  chiefly  hard  work,  rude  fare, 
and  a  tremendous  exercise  of  will  power  to  overcome 
the  deep-seated  animosity  of  the  audiences  they 
addressed  to  the  payment  of  taxes  for  the  support  of 
schools.  In  season  and  out  of  season  Dr.  Mclver  spoke 
in  all  parts  of  his  State,  and  when  the  movement  took 
organic  form  his  services  and  ability  were  recognized 
by  official  position.  He  was  Superintendent  of  Nor- 
mal Schools,  President  of  the  North  Carolina  Teachers' 
Assembly,  and  chairman  of  the  committee  which 
secured  the  appropriation  for  the  State  Normal  and 
Industrial  College,  of  which  he  became  later  the 
head.  When  the  Southern  Education  Board  was 
organized,  he  became  a  member,  and  as  field  agent  in 
North   Carolina  his   advocacy  was  characterized  by 

123 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVEB 


energy,  courage,  wit,  humor,  and  a  passionate  inter- 
est in  his  cause.  He  was  an  advocate  of  *  *  edu- 
cation for  the  white  and  black,  and  this  broad  and 
humane  policy,  with  a  generous  provision  from  taxa- 
tion for  educational  purposes,  has  now  been  substan- 
tially accepted  as  the  result  of  the  splendid  campaign 
made  by  this  group  of  men.  Dr.  Mclver  died  in  his 
earl}^  prime,  but  he  had  lived  long  enough  to  see  the 
South  aglow  with  enthusiasm  for  education,  and  the 
Summer  School  at  Knoxville  become  one  of  the  most 
impressive  educational  assemblages  ever  seen  in  this 
country.  Dr.  Mclver  had  served  as  President  of  the 
Southern  Education  Board,  and  was  a  member  of 
the  Council  of  the  National  Educational  Association. 

From  The  World's  Work,  December,  1906 

*  *  *  *  After  several  years  of  teaching 
in  several  private  schools  —  the  last  a  school  for 
girls  —  he  had  worked  out  a  plan  for  the  education 
of  all  the  people  with  which  he  took  fire  and  blazed 
till  the  end  of  his  life.  North  Carolina  was  then 
one  of  the  most  illiterate  States  in  the  Union.  He 
saw  that  the  public  school  system  must  be  developed 
so  as  to  reach  all  the  people ;  and  he  saw  that  teach- 
ers must  be  trained  for  it.  Then  he  discovered  that 
there  was  no  proper  provision  for  training  the  young 
women  of  the  State  for  teaching  or  for  anything  else. 
There  were  a  few  private  and  church  schools  for 
girls,  but  they  could  not  reach  the  masses  of  neglected 

124 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVEB 


women.  For  nearly  a  hundred  years  the  State  had 
had  a  university  for  boys,  but  it  was  then  utterly 
neglecting  the  girls.  The  burning  shame  of  this  neg- 
lect gave  his  career  definite  shape  and  made  him  an 
apostle,  or  a  crusader,  for  the  rest  of  his  life. 
*****  Dr.  Mclver's  monument  is  this 
school.  But  he  was  born  to  work  with  large  masses, 
to  be  a  leader  in  a  democracy.  He  was  a  schoolmaster 
of  the  people.  He  knew  everybody.  He  took  a  part 
in  every  good  movement.  Many  men  have  earnestness 
and  some  have  humor.  Once  in  a  long  while  nature 
gives  both  these  qualities  in  proper  proportion  to  the 
same  man,  and  thus  she  makes  a  man  that  is  invincible. 
This  bountiful  endowment  made  Dr.  Mclver  "the  fore- 
most citizen  of  his  town,  the  foremost  citizen  of  his 
State,  one  of  the  most  useful  men  in  the  Republic." 
He  had  been  President  of  the  Southern  Educational 
Association,  and  he  would  probably  have  been  the 
next  President  of  the  National  Educational  Associa- 
tion. He  was  a  member  of  the  Southern  Education 
Board  and  the  chairman  of  its  "campaign  committee" 
which  directed  a  campaign  for  popular  education  in 
several  Southern  States,  all  the  other  members  of  the 
committee  being  men  also  engaged  in  educational  work 
in  those  States.  He  organized  everything  that  he 
touched — an  association  of  women,  for  instance,  to 
improve  the  public  schoolhouses.  He  continued  to 
stump  his  State  and  other  States  for  the  betterment 
of  the  public  schools;  and  during  a  few  years  of  his 
activity  a  new  schoolhouse  was  built  in  North  Caro- 

125 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVEB 


lina  every  working  day.  He  had  opportunities  thrust 
upon  him  of  making  a  large  income  if  he  would  give 
his  time  to  industrial  pursuits ;  he  had  offers  of  more 
lucrative  professional  positions  than  the  one  that  he 
held.  But  he  kept  his  own  self-made  place  of  leader- 
ship, with  its  pitifully  meagre  income,  much  of  which 
he  gave  away  to  poor  students,  to  movements  for 
civic  improvement — to  every  person  or  cause  that 
meant  the  building-up  of  the  people.  For  he  believed 
in  the  people  with  as  deep  a  conviction  as  any  man 
ever  had.  ***** 

There  is  at  the  College  a  mass  of  such  literature  of 
a  people's  aspirations,  gratitude,  and  affection  as  few 
men 's  work  and  death  have  called  forth  —  autobiog- 
raphies of  women  who  were  helped  hy  him  from  hope- 
lessness to  usefulness  and  happiness — "human  docu- 
ments" so  pathetic  and  yet  so  inspiring  that  a  man 
cannot  read  them  without  shedding  tears  and  having 
his  faith  in  his  fellows  quickened.  They  say  over  and 
over  again :  "He  did  me  a  greater  service  than  any 
other  human  being  did."  One  woman  wrote  of  him 
as  "the  State's  greatest  benefactor,  the  supremest 
friend  of  womankind,  the  kindliest  heart."       *       * 

With  a  definite  philosophy  of  human  improvement, 
with  a ,  cheerful,  balanced  view  of  life,  here  was  a 
born  leader  in  a  democracy  who  really  believed  in 
the  people,  and  who  proved  by  leading  an  educational 
revolution  (it  has  been  nothing  less)  that  an  uncom- 
promising faith  in  them  is  abundantly  justified. 


126 


MEMORIALS 


NORMAL  COLLEGE  MEMOKIAL  EXEECISES 

Hold  at  The  North  Carolina  State  Normal  and  Industrial  College, 
Greensboro,  November  20th,  1906 

PROGRAMME 

Hymn  —  Eock   of   Ages. 

Invocation  —  Eev.   Henry  W.  Battle,   D.   D. 
Duet  —  " O  Spirit!     So  Strong  and  Pure. ' ' 
Address  —  Dr.  E.  A.  Alderman,  President  of  the  University 
of   Virginia. 

Male  Quartet  —  ' '  One  Sweetly  Solemn  Thought. ' ' 
Address  —  Dr.  George  T.  Winston,  President  of  North  Caro- 
lina College  of  Agriculture  and  Mechanic  Arts. 
Address  —  Dr.   F.   P.   Venable,   President   of   the    University 

of   North    Carolina. 
Address  —  Dr.  James  E.  Brooks,  Grensboro,  N.  C. 
College  Chorus  —  ' '  Work  Done,  Come  Home  Today. ' ' 
Address  — •  Representing    former    Students    of    the    College, 
Mary  K.  Applewhite,  of  the  Baptist  University 
for   Women. 

Address  —  Hon.  J.  T.  Joyner,  State  Superintendent  of  Pub- 
lic Instruction. 

Hymn  —  "Nearer,  My  God,  to  Thee." 

Benediction  —  Dr.  G.  S.  Dickerman,  of  Southern  Education 
Board. 


127 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVER 


SWEETLY   IMPEESSIVE    EXEECISES 
From  the  Greensboro  Daily  Record 

Exceedingly  beautiful  and  sweetly  impressive  and 
solemn  were  the  exercises  held  this  morning  in  the 
auditorium  of  the  Students'  Building  at  the  State 
Normal  and  Industrial  College  to  honor  the  memory 
of  Dr.  Charles  Duncan  Mclver,  the  late  lamented 
President  of  the  Institution,  whose  sad  and  sudden 
death  on  September  16th  cast  a  gloom  over  the  Col- 
lege, City  and  State,  and  spread  to  other  portions  of 
the  country  where  the  departed  had  often  appeared 
in  educational  work  and  was  loved  and  admired. 

The  memorial  service  was  arranged  by  the  Board  of 
Directors  and  Faculty  of  the  College  for  the  purpose 
of  giving  expression  to  the  profound  sorrow  which 
his  untimely  death  caused,  and  the  program  as  carried 
out  and  the  complete  occasion  was  one  of  tenderness, 
sympathy  and  sorrowful  love  for  the  memory  of  the 
departed  executive  officer  of  the  College. 

The  attendance  filled  every  seat  in  the  spacious 
auditorium  and  included  not  only  those  connected 
with  the  College  and  numbers  of  representative  citi- 
zens, but  all  the  members  of  the  Board  of  Directors, 
many  former  students,  and  a  number  of  distinguished 
educators  and  prominent  men  and  women  from  differ- 
ent sections  of  this  and  other  States. 

The  beauty  and  impressiveness  of  the  service  was 
enhanced  by  the  quiet  solemnity  and  sympathetic 
interest    manifested    and    which    pervaded    the    vast 

128 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVEB 


audience,  and  many  tearful  eyes  were  to  be  seen  as 
the  various  speakers  alluded  to  the  loss  to  the  State 
that  Dr.  Melver  's  death  occasioned. 

INTEODUCTOEY    BY    ACTING   PEESIDENT    JULIUS    I. 
FOUST 

The  Board  of  Directors  and  the  Faculty  have 
deemed  it  appropriate  that  we  turn  aside  for  one  day 
from  our  ordinary  labors  to  honor  the  memory  of  our 
departed  President.  I  feel  that  we  honor  ourselves 
when  we  thus  devote  this  time  to  honoring  the  name 
of  the  great  founder  of  this  College.  When  we 
measure  his  life  by  the  standard  of  unselfish  devotion 
to  a  lofty  ideal  and  by  self-sacrificing  service  for  the 
betterment  of  his  people,  Charles  Duncan  McIver  was 
one  of  the  greatest  men  of  his  generation.  No  one 
ever  gave  more  freely  of  his  large  native  power  than 
did  he  that  he  might  elevate  the  citizenship  of  North 
Carolina.  While  his  usefulness  as  an  educational 
statesman  made  its  impress  upon  the  whole  country, 
his  loss  cannot  be  felt  in  any  place  as  it  is  here  in 
the  College  that  he  founded  and  nourished.  This  Insti- 
tution will  ever  remain  a  lasting  monument  to  his 
untiring  energy  and  to  his  fidelity  to  the  cause  of 
educated  and  trained  womanhood.  To  those  of  us  who 
labored  and  worked  with  him  the  loss  seems  irrepa- 
rable. It  is  therefore  not  only  fitting  but  right  that 
we  should  meet  today  to  recall  some  of  his  noble 
characteristics. 


129 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVER 


We  wish  to  extend  a  hearty  welcome  to  those  who 
have  come  from  sister  institutions  and  to  the  others 
who  are  here  to  join  with  us  in  this  tribute  to  our 
great  leader. 

We  are  glad  that  so  many  of  the  former  students 
of  the  College  whom  he  inspired  by  his  example  have 
found  it  possible  to  be  with  us  today.  Their  presence 
is  greatly  appreciated.  We  wish  them  at  all  times  to 
feel  that  this  Institution  still  claims  them  and  asks 
for  their  continued  loyalty  and  support. 

The  people  of  Greensboro  have  always  sympathized 
with  us  in  our  joys  and  in  our  sorrows  and  we  are  glad 
that  so  many  of  them  have  come  to  join  in  these  exer- 
cises and  to  show  their  appreciation  of  his  unselfish 
service  to  our  city. 

INVOCATION  BY  EEV.  HENEY  W.  BATTLE,  D.  D. 

Oh,  God,  whom  we  would  devoutly  worship,  life  is 
Thy  gift.  The  benignant  bonds  which  unite  societ,y 
are  ordered  of  Thee;  the  faculties  and  aspirations 
which  work  out  useful  and  eminent  careers  are  of  Thy 
bestowment.  All  powers  within  and  all  circumstances 
without  obey  Thy  pleasure,  and  Thou  alone  art  great ! 
Lift  our  thoughts  to  Thee,  as  we  enter  upon  the  exer- 
cises of  this  solemn  and  impressive  hour,  and  fill  our 
hearts  with  profound  gratitude  for  all  Thy  blessings. 
We  thank  Thee  for  men — strong,  resourceful.  God- 
fearing men !  —  men  of  great  brains,  sympathetic 
hearts,  indomitable  energies  and  noble  purposes,  and 


130 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVEK 


for  all  they  have  achieved  on  life's  ever  deepening, 
broadening  and  advancing  tide.  We  thank  Thee  for 
him  whose  memory  we  honor  today.  Thou  didst  take 
him  to  Thyself  "at  the  bright  meridian  of  historic 
life,"  but  not  until  he  had  attained  the  goal  of  his 
fondest  desires  and  bequeathed  a  heritage  of  price- 
less possessions  to  the  rising  generation.  We  shed 
our  tears  above  his  bier,  but,  touched  with  the  light 
of  the  Sun  of  Righteousness,  they  are  transmuted  into 
a  rainbow  of  glory !  ' '  Though  dead  he  yet  speaketh ; ' ' 
though  the  manly  form  be  mouldering  in  the  dust, 
his  conquering  spirit  beckons  us  on  ! 

Give  to  us,  we  implore  Thee,  oh  God,  grace  to  dis- 
cern and  appropriate  the  lessons  inculcated  by  his 
life  and  death,  and  the  tokens  of  a  people's  loving 
appreciation.  In  the  tender  light  of  this  sacred  hour 
enable  us  to  see  life  and  death  and  eternity  as  they 
are. 

Command  Thy  blessing,  we  beg  Thee,  upon  those 
interests  so  supremely  dear  in  life  to  the  heart  of  our 
teacher,  patriot,  and  philanthropist.  Hasten  the  time 
when  the  ample  page  of  knowledge  shall  lie  open  to 
every  yearning  heart  and  searching  eye  throughout 
North  Carolina  and  all  our  beloved  Southland. 

Bless  all  teachers,  whether  distinguished  or  obscure, 
whether  wearing  titled  honors  and  ministering  in 
splendid  university,  or  performing  offices  of  humble 
service  in  regions  too  concealed  for  the  world's  recog- 
nition and  too  remote  for  its '  applause.  Oh,  Thou, 
M^ho,  whilst  on  earth,  didst  love  to  be  called  Teacher, 

131 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVEB 


bless  them!  and  may  they  teach,  as  he  taught,  joy- 
fully for  Truth,  our  Country,  and  our  God! 

Vouchsafe  Thy  continued  favor  in  richest  measure 
to  this  great  Institution — the  child  of  his  genius  and 
his  love.  Like  a  mighty  ship  she  has  breasted  the 
waves,  and  now  rides  peacefully  and  majestically 
upon  a  quiet  sea.  The  strong  hand  of  the  pilot  has 
dropped  from  the  wheel,  but  Thy  hand  is  there! 
and  when  to  that  other  human  hand  shall  be  com- 
mitted this  beauteous  and  majestic  Queen  of  the 
Southern  Seas,  with  her  precious  cargo  of  immortal 
destinies,  may  the  choice  be  Thy  choice,  oh,  God ! 

Hear  Thou  now  the  prayer  of  tender  and  reveren- 
tial love  which  goes  up  to  Thee  from  each  heart  in  this 
vast  audience;  Holy  Spirit,  Blessed  Comforter,  go 
with  Thy  sweet  ministry  where  our  feet  may  not 
enter,  and  to  the  sorrowing  hearts  of  these  bereaved 
ones,  now  draped  in  weeds  of  mourning,  whisper, 
"Peace  be  still." 

And  this  we  humbly  beg  for  Jesus'  sake.  Amen. 

ADDEESS  BY  DE.  EDWIN  A.  ALDEEMAN 

President  of  the  University  of  Virginia 

At  Lake  George  last  summer  in  the  home  of  a  dear 
common  friend,  looking  out  over  a  scene  of  peace  and 
quiet,  Charles  Mclver  and  I  were  talking  of  life  and 
its  meaning  and  the  flight  of  time  that  had  carried 
us  so  swiftly  past  boyhood  to  middle  life.  Our  moods 
alternated  between  the  kind  of  boyish,  unrestrained 
merriment  possible  only  to  men  who  have  grown  up 

132 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVEB 


together  and  a  certain  strain  of  premonition  and  sad- 
ness. I  recall  saying,  "Charles,  you  will  outlive  me 
and  you  will  probably  have  to  write  some  resolutions 
or  say  something  about  me  when  I  am  gone.  Make 
it  short.  Just  say  that  we  had  a  good  time  together, 
pounding  away  at  real  things. ' '  He  answered  quickly, 
' '  Ed.  Alderman,  though  I  look  stronger  than  you,  you 
may  outlive  me  after  all,  and  I  give  you  the  same 
counsel. ' '  We  were  talking  like  children  in  the  dark, 
as  all  of  us  poor  mortals  must  talk,  but  I  realize  today 
how  impossible  it  would  be  for  me  to  speak  in  any 
form  of  stately  eulogy  of  this  strong  and  faithful 
friend,  whom  I  knew  so  well  and  loved,  and  with 
whom  I  worked  so  intimately  in  the  service  of  society. 
My  very  nearness  to  him  and  the  elemental  and  vital 
character  of  his  personality,  make  it  most  difficult  for 
me  to  set  down  even  this  brief  personal  appreciation 
of  him  in  formal  sentences. 

All  of  us  who  were  close  to  him  have  the  impulse  to 
say  simply,  "Here  was  a  great,  strong,  hopeful,  buoy- 
ant, friendly  soul,  who  loved  his  fellows  and  builded 
enduringly  for  their  welfare,  and  should  be  forever 
honored  by  them."  Further  words  seem  vain. 
Certainly,  I  shall  not  seek  to  recount  the  details  of 
his  career  today,  nor  to  enumerate  the  positions  he 
held  or  could  have  held;  nor  in  any  fashion,  to  use 
this  memorial  hour  in  a  formal  biography  of  him. 

Charles  Duncan  Mclver  was  born  in  a  rural  Scotch 
home,  in  the  simplest  part  of  the  simplest  democracy 
in  America.    This  Scotch  home  was  full  of  cleanness 

133 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVEB 


and  reverence  and  faith  in  the  dignity  of  humanity 
and  in  the  power  of  knowledge,  and  all  of  its  ideals 
were  ideals  of  self-respect  and  manly  ambition.  In 
the  existence  of  a  multitude  of  such  homes  lies  the 
antidote  for  the  dangers  of  our  over-nourished  civili- 
zation  and  the  safeguard  of   our   republican   ideals. 

I  saw  him  for  the  first  time  in  the  autumn  of  1878 
at  Chapel  Hill,  whither  he  had  preceded  me  by  one 
year.  There  was  no  mistaking  the  quality  of  this 
great  big  country  boy;  eager,  restless,  purposeful, 
hopeful,  with  a  face  and  an  eye  wherein  humor  and 
sympathy  and  shrewd  discernment  struggled  for  the 
mastery.  He  had  already  become  a  leader  among  his 
fellows.  There  was  no  better  place,  I  think,  for  the 
making  of  leaders  in  the  world,  than  Chapel  Hill  in 
the  late  seventies.  The  note  of  life  was  simple, 
rugged  —  almost  primitive.  Our  young  hearts,  aflame 
with  the  impulses  of  youth,  were  quietly  conscious  of 
the  vicissitudes  and  sufferings  through  which  our 
fathers  had  just  passed.  "The  Conquered  Banner" 
and  the  mournful  threnodies  of  Father  Ryan  were 
yielding  place  to  songs  of  hope.  A  heroic  tradition 
pervaded  the  place,  while  hope  and  struggle,  rather 
than  despair  or  repining,  shone  in  the  purpose  of  the 
resolute  men  who  were  rebuilding  the  famous  old 
school. 

All  of  us  were  poor  boys.  Those  who  came  from 
the  towns  looked,  perhaps,  a  trifle  more  modish  to 
the  inexperienced  eye,  but  they  were  just  as  poor  as 
their  country  fellows,  and  had  come  out  of  just  such 

134 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVEB 


simple  homes  of  self-denial  and  self-sacrifice.  The 
unconscious  discipline  and  tutelage  of  defeat  and  forti- 
tude and  self-restraint  had  cradled  us  all.  We  had 
all  seen  in  the  faces  of  our  patient  mothers  and  grim 
fathers  something  that  we  knew,  if  we  could  not 
express,  was  not  despair,  and  somehow,  life  seemed 
very  grand  and  duty  easj''  and  opportunity  precious. 

Reflect  upon  just  a  few  of  the  names  of  the  boys 
that  were  there  then  and  perhaps  you  will  agree  with 
me:  Aycock,  Mclver,  the  Winstons,  Doughton, 
Strange,  Peele,  Phillips,  Murphy,  Daniels,  Gattis, 
Noble,  Joyner,  Thomas,  Pell,  Battle,  Dancy,  Worth, 
McAllister,  and  many  others  high  in  industrial  and 
commercial  life.  Student  ambitions  in  that  day  tended 
almost  entirely  to  law,  or  politics,  or  scholarship. 
The  great  industrial  awakening,  which  has  since 
beckoned,  and  now  beckons,  to  so  many  of  our  young 
men,  to  take  a  hand  in  transforming  our  civilization 
from  an  agricultural  into  an  industrial  democracy,  had 
not  begun  to  make  its  appeal. 

After  four  happy  years  of  steady  growth  in  scholar- 
ship and  character,  Mclver  passed  from  the  University 
to  the  school  room  in  1881.  I  followed  him  into  the 
school  room  in  1882,  and  our  intimacy  as  fellow 
workers  began  in  1886,  lasting  unbroken  and  curiously 
interwoven  until  that  quiet  hour  at  Lake  George,  and 
in  a  deep  spiritual  sense,  forever.  He  did  his  duty 
as  an  under-graduate,  respecting  his  body  and  his 
spirit.  He  even  won  Greek  medals,  but  his  thought 
was  on  men  and  student  issues  and  college  policies. 

135 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVER 


The  story  of  his  life  from  1882  to  1906  is  a  clear, 
high  story  of  human  idealism  and  human  achieve- 
ment, which  every  boy  in  North  Carolina  should  know 
and  ponder,  and  which  should  cause  the  older  men 
and  women  who  listen  to  the  strident  voices  of  unrest 
and  pessimism,  to  know  that  the  heart  of  this  repub- 
lic is  true  and  sound,  and  that  a  heroic  and  noble 
simplicity  lies  at  the  root  of  our  life.  It  is  not  an 
eventful  story.  It  is  not  a  story  of  thrilling  vicissi- 
tude or  startling  change  of  circumstance.  It  is  a 
story  of  earnestness  and  insight,  of  faith  and  purpose. 
His  marriage  to  a  noble  woman,  who  sustained  and 
strengthened  him  every  day  of  his  life ;  his  clear  sight 
of  a  great  institution  for  the  education  of  women  in 
North  Carolina;  his  brief  and  resistless  battle  for  the 
attainment  of  that  vision ;  a  widening  of  that  great 
conception  into  a  passionate  and  whole-hearted  dedi- 
cation of  himself  to  the  education  of  all  the  people; 
the  expansion  of  his  nature  under  the  spur  of  these 
high  ideals ;  a  splendid,  joyous  growth  of  his  powers  as 
they  faced  and  overcame  the  difficulties  that  blocked 
his  pathway ;  a  serene  and  noble  satisfaction  in  behold- 
ing his  youthful  dreams  embodied  here  in  forms  of 
dignity  and  beauty  and  human  training ;  the  recogni- 
tion of  his  worth,  and  the  deep  national  value  of  his 
service  by  the  whole  republic ;  and  a  sort  of  uncon- 
scious apotheosis  of  him  as  the  most  useful  citizen  of 
his  native  State ;  the  leader  in  all  of  its  good  causes — 
is  there  not  essential  grandeur  in  the  unbroken  unity 
of  this  upward-striving  story? 

136 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVER 


There  are  some  scenes  in  our  common  experiences 
between  1886  and  1890  that  my  heart  recalls,  and 
that  I  shall  mention  even  at  the  risk  of  bringing 
myself  into  a  picture,  which  I  would  fain  fill  with  his 
own  glory  and  his  own  worth.  The  original  idea  of 
the  establishment  of  the  State  Normal  and  Industrial 
College  in  North  Carolina  was  undoubtedly  born  in 
the  brain  of  Charles  Mclver.  He  did  not  borrow  the 
idea  from  Massachusetts  or  New  York.  The  whole 
scheme  forced  itself  upon  him  out  of  the  dust  of  injus- 
tice and  negligence  right  under  his  eyes.  I  recall  the 
day  at  Black  Mountain  in  1886,  when  he  spoke  of 
it  to  me  in  his  compelling  way  and  won  my  quick 
sjTnpathy  and  interest  in  the  idea.  His  busy  brain 
and  unwearying  energy  rapidly  drew  friends  to  the 
movement,  for  no  one  who  met  him  failed  to  hear  of  it. 
Together  we  drew  up  the  first  memorial  to  the  Legis- 
lature in  its  behalf,  and  I  remember  the  day  in  1886 
that  he  as  chairman,  and  George  T.  Winston,  Edward 
P.  Moses  and  myself,  presented  this  matter  to  the  com- 
mittee on  education.  We  knew  that  it  was  doomed, 
but  we  came  away  elated  and  somewhat  excited  over 
our  first  contact  with  legislative  responsibility  and 
greatness.  We  might  not  have  been  so  elated,  if  we 
could  have  foreseen  how  much  contact  we  would  have 
in  the  years  to  come,  though,  if  he  were  here,  I  believe 
he  would  agree  with  me  in  saying  that  the  contact 
did  us  good,  and  surely  he  gave  back  more  than  he 
received. 


137 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVER 


I  recall  commencement  night  at  Chapel  Hill  in  the 
year  1889.  We  were  to  start  out  in  a  few  days  on 
a  new  and  untried  experiment  in  North  Carolina  or 
the  South,  a  deliberate  effort  by  unique  campaign 
methods  to  create  and  mould  public  opinion  on  the 
question  of  popular  education,  involving  tax;ation 
for  the  benefit  of  others.  Men  like  Wiley  and  Murphy 
and  Caldwell  and  Scarborough  had  fought  this  fight, 
but  not  just  in  this  way.  We  were  in  the  twenties 
and  there  were  young  wives  and  children  at  home, 
and  the  work  we  were  undertaking  Avas  a  temporary 
creation,  due  to  the  suggestion  of  the  State  Superin- 
tendent of  Public  Instruction  and  the  good  impulses 
of  the  Legislature,  which  could  not  quite  make  up  its 
mind  to  have  done  with  us  once  and  for  all.  There 
was  no  precedent  for  what  we  were  trying  to  do, 
except  Horace  Mann,  and  he  seemed  so  far  off  and 
so  great  that  each  one  of  us  would  have  laughed  at 
the  other  for  mentioning  the  comparison.  I  remember 
that  we  talked  about  our  plans  and  purposes  and 
difficulties  until  the  cocks  began  to  crow.  I  told 
him  to  let  me  say  one  more  word  and  then  let  us  both 
go  to  sleep.  He  replied  in  his  hearty,  wholesome 
way,  that  he  did  not  propose  to  be  put  to  sleep  and 
let  me  have  the  last  word  at  the  same  time.  We 
then  decided  to  make  a  night  of  it,  and  talked  on 
until  the  sun  arose.  I  am  inclined  to  think  it  about 
the  best  night  I  have  ever  spent,  for  an  intelligent 
and  unselfish  idea  held  our  youth  under  its  spell, 

138 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVER 


and  bound  us  for  life  to  a  service,  which  was  not  the 
service  of  self.  As  I  think  of  it  today,  the  grim  old 
room  in  the  Inn  at  Chapel  Hill  and  the  silent  watches 
of  that  night  are  lit  with  the  light  that  never  was  on 
land  or  sea. 

For  three  years,  in  every  county  of  this  State,  we 
sought  to  mould  public  sentiment  and  direct  public 
opinion  towards  the  development  of  an  adequate  sys- 
tem of  popular  education  and  towards  the  establish- 
ment of  a  school  for  the  training  of  teachers.  Some 
day  I  shall  hope  to  tell  in  detail  the  story  of  this 
crusade,  for  such  it  was  in  spirit  and  purpose.  It 
had  its  discouragements  and  its  comedies  and  its 
mistakes,  but  it  was  a  time  of  full-blooded  enthusiasm, 
exaltation  and  faith  in  the  people,  and  the  experience 
taught  Mclver  and  it  taught  me  the  essential  lovable- 
ness  and  justice  and  dignity  of  character  and  open 
mindedness  of  the  average  North  Carolinian  in  a  way 
we  could  never  have  otherwise  learned.  And  some 
good  seed  were  sown,  I  think,  which  have  increased 
some  thirty,  some  sixty,  and  some  an  hundred  fold. 
Mclver  was  doubtful  at  first  of  his  ability  as  a  public 
speaker,  but  forgetting  self  in  his  purpose,  he  achieved 
in  an  amazing  way  the  very  thing  that  he  did  not 
think  himself  equal  to,  and  quickly  became  the  most 
effective  speaker  for  public  education  that  I  have 
known  in  America.  It  was  a  dull  and  senseless  audi- 
ence that  did  not  respond  to  his  earnestness,  the 
breathless  onrush  of  his  appeal,  heated  red  hot  in  the 
glow  of  his  personality,  and  lighted  with  a  homely 

139 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVEB 


humour  and  power  of  illustration  and  a  shrewd  adap- 
tation of  story  and  anecdote,  unequaled  in  North  Caro- 
lina since  young  Zeb  Vance  won  his  triumphant  way. 
His  task  was  to  plead  with  an  individualistic  and  con- 
servative community,  hating  overmuch  by  reason  of 
robbery  and  suffering  the  very  word  "tax,"  for  a 
democratic  and  communal  institution  costing  large 
sums  of  money  and  a  world  of  patience.  His  weapons 
were  persuasion  and  charm  and  earnestness  and 
humor  and  pleading  and  sympathy.  They  seem 
feeble  weapons  as  compared  with  the  money  of  the 
plutocrat  or  the  force  of  the  despot,  but  they  found 
the  heart  of  this  just  and  reasonable  democracy,  and 
seem  to  prove  that  the  solution  of  our  peculiar  diffi- 
culties must  come  not  by  might  or  force  but  by  the 
spirit  of  love,  justice,  humanity,  and  progress. 

Many  of  his  striking  phrases  will  long  live  in  the 
annals  of  educational  growth:  "The  savage  alone  is 
exempt  from  taxation."  "The  generations  of  men 
are  but  relays  in  civilization's  march  on  its  journey 
from  savagery  to  the  millennium." 

"Education  is  simply  civilization's  eft'ort  to  prop- 
agate and  perpetuate  its  life  and  its  progress. ' ' 

"The  teacher  is  the  seed  corn  of  civilization,  and 
none  but  the  best  is  good  enough  to  use. ' ' 

' '  Ideas  are  worth  more  than  acres,  and  the  possessor 
of  ideas  will  always  hold  in  financial  bondage  those 
whose  chief  possession  is  acres  of  land." 

"It  is  plain,  therefore,  that  the  State  and  society, 
for   the   sake    of   their   future    educational    interest, 

140 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVEB 


ought  to  decree  that  for  every  dollar  spent  by  the 
government,  State  or  Federal,  and  by  philanthropists 
in  the  training  of  men,  at  least  another  dollar  shall 
be  invested  in  the  work  of  educating  womankind." 

"If  it  were  practicable,  an  educational  qualification 
for  matrimony  would  be  worth  more  to  our  citizen- 
ship than  an  educational  qualification  for  suffrage." 

"Finally  men  began  to  seek  education  not  that 
they  might  become  leaders  in  the  State  and  in  the 
church,  but  first  of  all,  that  they  might  be  strong  men, 
so  that  today  seeing  a  man  at  college  is  no  indication 
that  he  expects  to  be  a  preacher  or  a  politician. ' ' 

In  company  with  Major  Sidney  M.  Finger  we  wrote 
the  law  now  upon  the  statute  books,  creating  this 
Institution,  and  selected  the  location  for  these  build- 
ings, and  I  should  be  false  to  justice  and  generosity, 
if  I  did  not  here  pay  tribute  to  the  earnestness  and 
enthusiasm  and  faithful  support  given  to  us  during 
these  days  by  Sidney  M.  Finger. 

An  interesting  characteristic  of  the  inspiring  career 
of  Charles  Mclver  was  its  large  unity  and  freedom 
from  complexity.  In  studying  either  the  man  or  his 
work,  one  does  not  meet  with  subtleties  or  whimsicali- 
ties or  irritating  contradiction,  but  one  beholds  rather 
a  large  movement  of  beneficent  purpose,  struggling 
onward  to  perfectly  clear  ends,  and  a  big  hearty 
nature  ever  "greeting  the  unseen  with  a  cheer."  In 
a  true  sense,  his  earthly  career  began  with  his  sight 
of  this  school,  and  it  ended  where  it  began,  but  behold 
the  all-embracing  character  of  such  spacious  single- 

141 


CHARLES    DUNCAN    McIVER 


mindedness !  As  a  consequence  of  this  stimulating 
vision,  came  increased  interest  for  popular  educa- 
tion ;  as  a  result  of  his  philosophic  grasp  of  the  mean- 
ing of  popular  education  to  a  democracy,  came  a 
whole  great  theory  of  civic  service  and  community 
helpfulness  and  common-sense  patriotism  that  tied 
him  in  closest  sympathy  to  everything  helpful,  from 
hanging  pictures  on  the  walls  of  dreary  country 
schoolhouses,  to  large  sentimental  schemes  of  relight- 
ing the  fires  of  love  for  the  homeland  in  the  hearts 
of  those  who  had  strayed  away.  A  clear  vision,  there- 
fore, and  a  clean  consecration  of  himself,  in  the  gener- 
ous ardor  of  youth,  to  the  pursuit  of  that  vision, 
wrought  and  moulded  him  into  a  kind  of  perfection 
as  an  American  citizen,  exhibiting  all  the  moral  per- 
sistence of  the  Puritan  in  a  setting  of  sunshine  and 
sjonpathy. 

' '  One  who  never  turned   his  back,  but  marched  breast   for- 
ward, 
Never  doubted  clouds  would  break. 
Never  dreamed,  though   right  were  worsted,  wrong  would 
triumph. 
Held,  we  fall  to  rise,  are  baffled  to  fight  better,  sleep, 
to  wake." 

The  personality  of  Charles  Mclver  interested  and 
attracted  men  more  than  any  sum  of  his  attainments. 
His  scholarship  was  not  the  scholarship  of  the  schools, 
but  rather  a  genius  for  sympathy  with  scholarship. 
Life  was  his  thesis  and  men  were  his  books  and  love 

142 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVEB 


his  method.  The  Scotch  passion  for  metaphysics  had 
passed  him  by,  leaving  in  its  stead  a  certain  large 
understanding  and  a  hearty  insight  that  revealed 
any  matter  to  him  whole  and  entire.  He  gave  the 
physical  impression  of  being  in  a  hurry,  but  he  was 
never  in  a  hurry  mentally.  He  was  a  wilful  man  in 
a  good  sense,  and  loved  to  have  his  own  way,  but  I 
have  known  no  man  with  fewer  blind  prejudices  to 
obscure  his  vision.  He  was  not  the  sort  of  man  who 
wanted  everything,  but  the  few  fundamental  things 
he  sought,  he  kept  a  searchlight  upon,  and  his  hurry- 
ing figure  could  be  seen  moving  toward  them  with 
resolute  purpose.  The  freedom  from  hindering  prej- 
udices, and  this  singlemindedness,  gave  him  a  fine 
genius  for  co-operation  and  made  him  a  beautiful 
man  to  work  with,  for  you  knew  that  his  pride  was  not 
sticking  out  to  get  wounded,  or  his  feelings  to  get 
hurt,  or  his  toes  to  be  trod  upon.  You  were  dealing 
with  sanity  and  good  will  that  knew  when  to  com- 
promise, when  to  surrender  and  when  to  fight.  Men 
called  him  a  good  politician  and  so  he  was,  if  you  will 
let  me  define  a  good  politician  as  one  who  knows  how 
to  compel  men  to  do  deeds  of  public  service  that  they 
would  not  have  otherwise  thought  of. 

He  was  a  royal  good  fighter,  too,  if  you  will  let 
me  define  a  fighter  as  a  man  who  is  clear  as  to  his  pur- 
pose, who  will  not  be  gainsaid,  who  will  not  be  set 
aside,  who  will  not  be  cajoled,  and  who  will  come  to 
his  point.     Besides,  he  was  a  Scotchman  and  had  to 


143 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVEB 


fight  something,  and  ignorance  was  his  natural  foe. 
Men  of  strong  character  are  sometimes  good  haters. 
Mclver  was  a  very  poor  hater.  He  could  not  hate 
men  and  always  exhibited  a  sort  of  pained  surprise, 
unaccompanied  with  any  ill  will  or  malignancy  when 
men  despitefully  used  him.  He  simply  could  not 
waste  his  moral  strength  in  that  most  immoral  of  all 
passions,  hatred.  If  I  were  to  ask  what  was  the 
greatest  thing  about  Charles  Mclver,  I  would  say 
that  it  was  his  interest  and  sympathy  and  love  for 
men  and  women,  not  attractive  men  and  women  alone, 
or  good  men  and  women,  or  great  men  and  women, — 
but  men  and  women.  To  him  had  come  perhaps 
dimly  the  feeling  that  in  rights  and  opportunities 
the  final  manhood  of  earth  will  be  "classless  and 
tribeless  and  nationless".  A  crowd  always  interested 
him  and  stirred  his  powers  no  matter  how  weary  he 
was,  and  he  moved  about  the  crowd  with  a  vast  human 
interest  shining  in  his  face.  I  have  seen  him  stop 
and  speak  to  a  young  boy,  half-formed  and  immature, 
with  an  interest  infusing  his  countenance,  like  that 
which  shines  in  the  face  of  a  collector,  who  has  just 
found  a  new  object  for  his  collections.  The  story  of 
the  rise  of  men  is  full  of  men  like  Thomas  Jefferson, 
who  loved  humanity,  and  were  willing  to  die  for  it, 
but  often  they  were  shy  of  the  units  in  the  mass  of 
men.  Mclver  loved  men  and  women  as  he  found 
them  and  they  returned  his  love.  The  thing  of  deepest 
interest  in  the  world  to  him  was  to  see  people  rise. 


144 


CHARLES   DUNCAN    McIVER 


*He  was  happy  when  they  succeeded  and  sorry  when 
they  failed.  Few  men  have  worked  through  so  busy 
a  life,  with  so  much  sympathy  and  appreciation.  He 
simpl}^  got  what  he  gave. 

Men  who  build  or  develop  institutions,  men  who 
strengthen  or  preserve  social  forces  of  their  times,  do 
so  through  the  exercise  of  faith  and  enthusiasm  and 
patience  and  courage  and  energy,  and  these  words 
might  form  a  brief  biography  of  Charles  Mclver.  As 
our  revolutionary  age  demanded  the  prophet  of  human 
freedom,  and  the  civil  war  period  demanded  steadfast 
courage,  and  the  industrial  period  the  man  of  imagi- 
nation and  daring,  so  the  decades  between  1880  and 
1906  in  Southern  history  demanded  men  with  faith 
in  education  as  a  great  agency  for  moulding  social 
and  economic  forces,  and  with  power  of  personality 
and  of  brain  to  influence  the  most  majestic  of  all 
human  agencies  —  public  opinion.  Our  institutions 
needed  to  be  democratized ;  our  thought  to  be  national- 
ized; our  life  to  be  industrialized,  and  the  whole 
process  was  one  of  education.  The  school  was  the  heart 
of  the  South 's  problem  and  Mclver  saw  that  truth, 
and  he  will  live  forever  in  the  history  of  this  State  as 
a  great  leader  in  this  movement  of  transformation. 
It  was,  besides,  his  unique  distinction  to  build  outright 
a  great  institution.  The  State  Normal  and  Industrial 
College,  planted  in  the  love  and  in  the  hearts  of  the 
people,  will  grow  fairer  in  outward  form,  and  richer 
in  inward  power,  and  as  it  grows  the  great  traditions 

145 


CHARLES   DUNCAN    McIVER 


of  his  devotion  will  grow  with  it.  In  Emerson's  fine 
phrase,  this  institution  will  be  for  all  time  the  length- 
ened shadow  of  one  man 's  life. 

It  is  the  purpose  of  those  who  love  him  to  erect  a 
statue  to  his  memory.  In  so  doing  they  will  honor 
themselves  and  teach  objectively  a  great  ethical  lesson 
which  should  not  be  denied  our  youth,  but  this  School 
is  his  real  monument.  An  institution  of  learning  is 
the  best  earthly  type  of  immortality.  It  is  the  only 
thing  under  the  heavens  that  grows  younger  and 
stronger  with  the  years.  It  is  a  creature  of  deathless 
function,  of  endless  needs,  of  immortal  youth.  Great 
grand-daughters  will  journey  to  it  as  to  a  pilgrimage, 
while  young  children  will  be  playing  about  its  knees, 
and  the  influence  of  all  influences  that  will  guide  its 
life  will  be  the  influence  of  Charles  Duncan  Mclver. 

As  for  me,  his  death  struck  close  at  the  foundations 
of  my  life.  It  was  a  thing  my  mind  had  never  con- 
templated, for  a  certain  unconquerable  boyishness  in 
him  precluded  the  very  thought  of  silence  and  the 
grave.  I  could  not  think  of  death  in  connection  with 
this  happy-starred,  full-blooded  man,  in  love  with  life 
and  work.  His  passing  closes  for  me  a  cycle  in  my 
life,  a  companionship  of  dreaming  and  work,  of  hope 
and  accomplishment,  associated  with  the  morning  of 
life.  Such  work  as  he  did  must  always  go  on  and 
I  would  fain  be  in  it  and  of  it,  but  his  absence  some- 
how gives  to  it  a  kind  of  loneliness  and  quite  another 
hue  and  quality.    After  I  left  North  Carolina,  by  the 


146 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVEB 


strange  coincidence  to   which  he   often   alluded,   we 
drew  closer  to  each  other  in  actual  intimacy  than  ever 
before.    Benign  fortune  set  us  to  doing  over  an  area 
extending  from  the  Gulf  to  the  Potomac,  what  we  had 
once  tried  to  do  over  the  hills  and  valleys  of  North 
Carolina.     We  met  often  each  year,  sleeping  in  the 
same  rooms  and  talking  in  the  night.     I  saved  my 
stories  for  him,  and  he  saved  his  for  me,  and  his  were 
always  better  than  mine.    He  incarnated  North  Caro- 
lina to  me,  suggesting  its  wholesomeness,  telling  me 
its  incidents,  its  ambitions,  its  progress,  and  bringing 
me  news  of  our  old  friends— those  that  had  died  and 
those  that  had  married  and  those  that  were  fighting 
the  battles  of  ambition  and  life.     Each  meeting  with 
him  was  a  bath  of  youth  and  good  feeling  and  courage, 
that  left  me  cleaner  and  stronger  and  fresher  for  my 
own  tasks.  ^  I  shall  miss  him  sorely  in  this  breathing 
world,  though  he  is  not  dead  either  to  my  sight  or 
spirit.     Not  only  is  he  alive  in  the  vague  spiritual 
sense  of  the  choir  invisible,  moulding  the  ideals  and 
purposes  of  men,  but  he  is  alive  and  vital  somewhere 
upon  some  mount  of  faith,  and  busy  at  work  upon 
some  good  cause. 

"O,  strong  soul,  by  what  shore 
T3,rriest  thou  now?     For  that  force 
Surely  has  not  been  left  vain. 
Somewhere  surely,  afar, 
In  the  sounding  laborhouse  vast 
Of  being,  is  practiced  that  strength, 
Zealous,  beneficent,  firm." 

147 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVEB 


ADDEE'SS  BY  DE.  GEORGE  T.  WINSTON 

President  of  The  North  Carolina  College  of  Agriculture  and 
Mechanic  Arts 

"There  is  nothing  better  than  that  a  man  should 
rejoice  in  his  work."  So  spoke  the  preacher  thou- 
sands of  years  ago.  If  he  were  here  today,  he  would 
see  it  verified  in  the  life  of  him  whose  memory  we 
cherish.  Mclver's  epitaph  should  be,  "He  rejoiceth 
in  his  work." 

Though  cut  off  in  the  very  flower  of  manhood,  his 
life  was  long,  if  measured  by  work  performed.  At 
the  early  age  of  twenty  he  found  his  mission  in  life. 
Not  a  day  passed  from  that  time  until  the  very 
instant  of  his  death  that  all  his  faculties  and  energies 
were  not  employed  in  public  service  and  for  the 
public  good.  He  lived  a  quarter  of  a  century  as 
teacher,  school  organizer,  public  speaker,  philanthro- 
pist, patriot,  promoter  of  education  in  every  form  and 
of  every  movement  for  the  public  good.  The  public 
services  of  this  man  in  twenty-five  years  repaid  North 
Carolina  her  expenditures  for  over  a  century  in 
establishing  and  maintaining  the  State  University. 
He  was  the  real  Father  of  the  Public  Schools.  His 
life  work  was  complete.  He  worked  so  lovingly,  so 
zealously  and  so  efficiently,  that  others  now  may  easily 
bring  to  completion  that  work  whose  foundations  and 
lines  of  development  he  so  wisely  planned.  He  was 
the  greatest  worker  of  his  generation. 


148 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVEB 


How  we  cherish  the  memory  af  his  sunny  face,  his 
buoyant  manner,  his  lively  action!  We  shall  seek 
to  preserve  in  marble  and  in  brass  the  lineaments  of 
his  face  and  figure,  to  remain  for  centuries  a  memo- 
rial of  his  life.  May  we  not  also  transmit  to  pos- 
terity a  nobler  and  more  enduring  memorial  by  imi- 
tating in  our  own  lives  the  imperishable  lineaments 
of  his  immortal  spirit  and  transmitting  them  for  per- 
petual imitation  to  the  youth  of  the  State?  He  had 
wisdom  without  guile;  charity  without  sentimen- 
tality; prudence  without  timidity;  strength  Mdthout 
rudeness;  gentleness  Mdthout  weakness;  humor  with- 
out selfishness;  and  everlasting  confidence  in  the 
triumph  of  truth  and  justice ! 

ADDEESS  BY  DE.  F.  P.  VENABLE 

President  of  the  University  of  North  Carolina 

I  have  come,  not  to  make  a  speech,  but  to  mingle 
my  sorrow  with  yours  over  the  friend  whom  we  all 
have  lost.  And  yet  the  busy  brain,  the  great,  loyal, 
loving  heart  is  stilled,  and  the  brave  spirit  with  its 
matchless  energy  is  at  rest. 

How  unstinted  he  gave  of  his  wisdom  and  strength 
to  his  friends  is  known  to  you,  and  the  supreme  sacri- 
fice of  his  life  ,was  given  to  the  work  which  he  loved, 
for  he  wore  himself  out  in  the  service  of  his  people. 
The  life  which  he  might  have  lived  was  only  two-thirds 
lived  out,  but  how  full  were  the  years,  how  splendid 
the  results  achieved! 

149 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVEB 


Others  may  tell  you  of  the  work  that  he  did,  of  the 
enduring  monument  which  he  built  in  this  Institu- 
tion,—  I  have  come  to  mourn  him  as  my  friend. 

Years  ago,  when  his  life  work  was  opening  out 
before  him  and  the  splendid  opportunity  for  service 
was  filling  him  with  enthusiasm,  he  came  to  me,  a  young 
teacher  absorbed  in  my  science,  and  by  his  forceful 
plea  touched  my  soul  also  with  something  of  his 
burning  desire  for  the  education  and  uplift  of  all 
the  people  of  our  State.  It  has  been  a  great  work 
and  in  it  he  has  had  no  peer.  I  am  glad  that  he  has 
been  my  friend.  I  am  proud  that  he  was  trained  and 
nurtured  by  the  University,  the  great  school  of  the 
people,  and  that  he  drew  his  inspiration  there. 

Year  by  year  I  have  followed  his  work  with  pride 
and  sympathy.  I  have  watched  the  development  of 
his  powers,  his  growth  as  an  effective  public  speaker, 
as  an  organizer,  as  a  controller  of  men,  his  abounding 
energy  and  his  multiform  usefulness,  I  have  feared 
the  effect  upon  his  health  of  his  self-sacrificing  labors 
and  the  constant  round  of  toil  for  others,  and  now  the 
end  has  come  and  the  sacrifice  has  been  made. 

When  the  great  responsibility  of  my  present  work 
was  laid  upon  me,  he  came  to  my  aid  as  few  others 
have  done.  With  a  loyal  and  most  helpful  friendship 
he  stood  by  my  side.  The  University  has  many  loyal 
sons,  but  there  was  no  one  who  loved  her  more  unself- 
ishly or  served  her  more  devotedly  in  all  time  of  need 
than  that  high,  brave  soul  whom  we  mourn  today. 


150 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVER 


The  University,  beloved  by  him,  mourns  for  her 
noble  son,  and  in  a  common  grief  clasps  hands  with 
her  younger  sister,  his  hope,  his  pride,  his  splendid 
monument  through  all  years  to  come. 

0  noble  soul,  beloved  teacher,  loyal  friend,  well 
done! 

ADDEESS   BY  DR.   JAMES  E.   BROOKS 

Representing  the  Guilford  County  Alumni  Association  of  the  State 
University 

This  is  the  age  of  wealth.  The  dominant  ambition 
of  the  man  of  today  is  the  accumulation  of  great  riches. 
There  is  no  longer  a  learned  profession  whose  chief 
members  are  not  a  prey  to  the  attractive  business  of 
piling  up  silver  and  gold.  These  men  appear  to  count 
their  lives  well  spent  when  this  is  accomplished.  More 
prominence  and  wider  discussion  are  given  to  the 
rich  man  and  his  affairs  than  to  any  other  personage 
in  our  civilization.  He  occupies  first  rank  in  the 
esteem  of  public  opinion.  Deference  and  awe  are 
lavishly  paid  him  by  all  classes  of  society.  There  is 
more  current  literature  on  a  dozen  kings  of  finance 
than  there  is  on  a  hundred  of  the  most  eminent 
scholars  and  scientists  living. 

During  the  past  twenty-five  years  the  art  of  money 
getting  has  eclipsed  all  others.  Enlisted  in  its  cause 
have  been  a  majority  of  the  most  powerful  minds  of 
the  world,  and  especially  is  this  true  in  our  own 
country.  The  most  resourceful  and  ingenious  intel- 
lects from  all  professions  have  put  aside  their  chosen 

151 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVER 


work  and  engaged  in  its  employ.  The  ambitious  man 
of  high  attainments  will  quit  the  pulpit,  the  bar,  the 
bench,  the  chair  of  philosophy,  or  even  the  alluring 
charm  of  political  preferment,  to  become  a  captain 
of  industry.  The  glamor  of  wealth  entices  the  heart 
away  from  careers  where  men  are  required  to  fight, 
suffer  and  be  misunderstood. 

With  the  history  of  the  world  before  us  with  which 
to  compare  and  interpret  our  own  time,  we  are  com- 
pelled to  call  this  age  the  Age  of  Avarice.  Nor  is 
this  what  posterity  has  said  of  us;  it  is  the  verdict 
we  render  against  ourselves. 

Doctor  Charles  Duncan  Mclver  was  not  of  this  type. 
He  was  made  of  better  stuff.  He  cared  nothing  for 
wealth,  though  he  thought  the  teacher  and  profes- 
sional man  in  general  too  poorly  paid.  He  had  no 
desire  for  luxury  or  display,  and  yet  he  longed  for  the 
day  when  the  worn-out  professional  man  should  have 
substance  laid  away  to  soften  his  declining  years. 
Great  wealth  could  not  tempt  him.  He  was  too 
intense,  too  much  concerned  about  his  work  to  put 
his  heart  into  the  cheap  things  money  could  buy. 
When  he  reached  man's  estate  the  vision  of  a  great 
mission  came  to  him  and  never  for  an  hour  from  the 
time  he  went  from  our  beloved  University  till  that 
September  afternoon  when  his  great  spirit  took  its 
flight  from  time  into  eternity  did  he  lose  sight  of  that 
vision. 

Great  enterprise  does  not  stagger  great  minds  —  it 
inspires  them.  It  brings  them  forth.     The  neglected 

152 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVEB 


woman  was  as  great  an  inspiration  to  Charles  D. 
Mclver  as  the  neglected  individual  was  to  Thomas 
Jefferson.  Her  neglect  brought  him  forth.  When 
he  came  upon  the  scene,  our  State  had  a  splendid  and 
time-honored  University  for  the  education  of  its  men, 
but  it  had  shamefully  neglected  to  provide  for  the 
education  of  its  women.  Prospective  students  for 
college  training  were  sought  for  in  homes  of  college- 
bred  mothers  and  among  the  well-to-do.  This  man 
went  into  the  highways  and  hedges  over  our  entire 
State  and  everywhere  preached  the  doctrine  that  the 
State  owed  as  much  to  its  daughters  as  it  did  to  its 
sons,  and  he  lived  to  see  his  doctrine  triumph. 

Napoleon  said  of  himself  that  he  could  not  be  repro- 
duced —  that  it  was  not  necessary  that  his  like  should 
come  again.  So  with  Dr.  Mclver.  He  cannot  be  repro- 
duced— the  times  will  not  call  for  his  like  again.  He 
completed  his  era.  The  man  who  follows  him  will 
have  a  new  work  to  do — a  new  task  awaits  him.  Dr. 
Mclver  completed  his  own  work. 

The  Man  of  Destiny  cannot  be  swerved  from  his 
purpose.  The  pretender  falls  a  victim  to  the  enemies 
along  the  way.  Nothing  but  God  can  change  the  plans 
of  the  man  of  destiny.  The  splendid  scholar  may  fill 
the  university  chair  and  even  enlarge  its  influence ; 
his  attainments  may  be  of  the  highest  order,  but  he 
is  only  filling  a  place  made  by  someone  else.  The 
Man  of  Destiny  creates  his  own  sphere.  Dr.  Mclver 
was  a  man  of  destiny;  he  created  his  own  sphere, 
and  no   power  save  the  hand  of  Providence  could 

153 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVER 


have  thwarted  him  in  his  enterprise.  He  was  the 
greatest  force  and  personality  our  State  has  produced 
in  our  day.  He  stands  alone  in  the  uniqueness  of  his 
character. 

It  is  my  sincere  conviction  that  no  greater  man 
than  he  was  ever  born  on  North  Carolina  soil.  We 
have  produced  great  men,  but  we  have  not  said  much 
about  them.  We  have  been  content  to  read  the 
glorified  deeds  of  gifted  men  of  other  sections  of  our 
country,  written  by  admiring  historians  of  their 
respective  States,  while  our  own  great  actors  have 
been  neglected. 

The  history  of  this  man 's  life  will  be  written.  Some 
man,  inspired  by  the  heroic  endeavor  of  this  great 
Carolinian,  who  gave  himself  for  his  fellow-man,  will 
tell  the  true  story  of  his  life.  It  will  be  an  inspiration 
to  every  child  in  the  land. 

Mighty  in  spirit,  mighty  in  deed,  he  fought  a  good 
fight,  he  kept  the  faith,  he  finished  his  course. 

ADDEESS   BY   MISS    MARY   K.    APPLEWHITE 

Of  the  Baptist  University  for  Women 

Representing  Former  Students  of  The  State  Normal  and  Industrial 
College 

It  is  my  pleasure  and  privilege  to  speak  for  the 
four  thousand  students  of  the  State  Normal  College 
and  to  pay  their  tribute  of  love  and  appreciation  to 
the  man  who  was  to  them  more  than  the  efficient 
President  of  this  College,  who  was  their  inspiration, 
their  counsellor  and  their  friend. 

154 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVER 


From  a  student's  first  correspondence  regarding 
entrance  into  the  College,  Dr.  Mclver's  swaying  influ- 
ence was  perceived.  On  entering  the  College  his  strong 
personality  was  felt  by  every  individual  student.  In 
a  short  time  she  felt  herself  the  possessor  of  a  true 
friend.  Narrow  opinions  were  changed  to  broader 
views  and  the  horizon  of  girl-life  soon  enlarged  while, 
even  more  than  that,  it  was  deemed  a  privilege  to  enter 
largely  into  the  activities  of  college  life  as  a  prepara- 
tion for  that  broader  sphere  of  activity  that  lay 
beyond  graduation. 

As  the  years  drew  nigh  graduation,  his  influence 
became  more  keenly  felt  and  he  impressed  upon  each 
class  the  fact  that  their  graduation  meant  only  the 
beginning  of  work  as  a  citizen  and  as  a  student. 

To  each  one  he  seemed  to  give  a  solemn  charge: 
Serve  thy  State ;  and  he  inspired  each  individual  with 
a  passion  for  human  progress.  His  high  ideals  of  citi- 
zenship were  reflected  in  the  life  of  every  student  who, 
as  the  higher  type  of  woman,  the  citizen  woman,  is  seek- 
ing to  help  on  the  spirit  of  uplift  in  her  owti  State. 

As  counsellor  and  friend  in  college,  Dr.  Mclver  was 
more  than  even  that  to  the  Normal  girl  when,  standing 
alone,  as  it  were,  she  had  begun  her  life  work.  No 
matter  what  phase  of  life  — were  it  the  home,  the 
teaching  profession,  the  business  world,  he  was  ever 
ready  to  help  by  his  sincere  interest,  his  faith  in  her, 
and  his  tolerant  and  loving  sympathy  with  all  the 
little  trials  that  came  to  her. 


155 


CHARLES   DUNCAN    McIVER 


And  now  that  his  life  among  us  "has  of  a  sudden 
been  stopped"  we  wonder  how  our  work  can  go  on. 
Who  will  give  us  the  friendly  advice,  the  wise  counsel  ? 
Whence  will  come  the  inspiration  that  his  words  and 
presence  always  imparted?  Almost  could  we  be 
bowed  with  our  grief  and  loss,  and  yet,  remembering 
the  spirit  of  him  whom  we  loved,  we  cannot.  What 
Dr.  Mclver  has  been  to  the  students  of  the  college 
can  never  be  taken  from  them.  His  influence  is 
immortal.  His  was  not  the  spirit  of  useless  repining, 
his  was  the  spirit  of  facing  bravely  each  situation, 
turning  his  face  to  the  light  and  laboring  with  all 
his  strength. 

Do  you  remember  one  of  his  favorite  quotations 
from  Owen  Meredith? 

' '  No  life  can  be  pure  in  its  purpose  and  strong  in  its  strife 
And  all  life  not  be  purer  and  stronger  thereby." 

His  influence  upon  all  students  illustrates  the  force 
of  those  oft-quoted  lines.  His  life  was  pure,  his  pur- 
pose strong,  therefore  our  lives  are  purer  and  stronger 
for  his  spirit  among  us. 

For  all  that  he  would  have  us  stand  for  in  North 
Carolina  or  elsewhere, —  that  will  we  endeavor  to  be. 
This  Institution,  the  fruit  of  his  thought  and  love 
and  labor,  shall  stand  as  his  work  only  begun,  and  by 
his  loving  influence  it  shall  continue  to  grow.  We 
stand,  as  we  have  always  stood,  ready  to  uphold  it 
with  our  loyalt}'. 

156 


CHARLES   DUNCAN    McIVER 


As  a  tribute  to  his  memory,  we  bring  ourselves,  all 
girded  and  ready  to  face  the  problems  and  to  carry  on 
the  work  which  he,  looking  down  the  coming  years 
with  the  vision  of  a  seer,  saw  would  be  ours  to  face 
and  do. 

ADDRESS  BY  HON.  J.  Y.  JOYNER 
Superintendent  of  Public  Instruction  of  North  Carolina 

* '  O  for  the  touch  of  a  vanished  hand, 
And  the  sound  of  a  voice  that  is  still!" 

Could  I  obey  the  dictates  of  my  heart,  I  should 
pay  the  tribute  of  a  sacred  silence  to  my  dead  friend 
today  amid  these  scenes  hallowed  by  a  thousand  mem- 
ories of  him.  My  love  and  admiration  are  too  great 
to  find  expression  in  matter-moulded  forms  of  speech, 
but  use  and  wont  must  have  their  due  and  I,  too, 
must  try  to  speak. 

He  was  the  truest  friend,  the  warmest-hearted,  the 
most  generous,  the  most  actively  helpful,  the  most 
self-forgetful.  He  loved  his  friends  and  they  knew 
and  the  whole  world  knew  that  he  loved  them.  He 
sought  their  counsel,  loved  their  companionship,  and 
found  their  approval  sweet.  He  was  ever  on  the  alert 
for  opportunities  to  help  them  and  to  enable  them  to 
help  themselves.  He  often  saw  such  opportunities 
and  seized  them  for  his  friends  before  they  saw  them 
for  themselves.  I  have  known  him  unasked  to  lay 
down  his  work  and  travel  across  the  State  at  his  own 
expense,  without  reward  or  the  hope  of  reward,  to  do 


157 


CHARLES   DUNCAN    McIVER 


a  friend  a  kindness.  He  never  allowed  anyone  to 
speak  evil  of  his  friends  in  his  presence,  or  to  misrep- 
resent or  misunderstand  them  unrebuked  and  uncor- 
rected. 

And  he  was  the  friend  of  all  mankind.  All  who 
knew  him  were  his  friends.  He  had  the  genius  of 
friendliness.  He  made  friends  with  strangers  more 
easily  than  any  man  I  ever  knew.  There  was  in  him 
that  touch  of  nature  that  dwells  in  every  elemental 
man  "that  makes  the  whole  world  kin"  and  made 
him  at  home  and  at  ease  with  the  learned  and  the 
unlearned,  with  the  high  and  with  the  humble.  It 
was  this  that  gave  to  his  friendliness  that  personal 
touch  that  made  so  many  his  personal  friends  and 
filled  so  many  with  a  sense  of  personal  loss  in  his 
death. 

He  loved  his  State  and  his  people.  He  was  con- 
secrated to  their  interests  and  jealous  of  their  honor 
and  reputation.  Love  of  North  Carolina  and  her  peo- 
ple became  a  positive  force  in  the  life  of  every  student 
that  ever  came  within  the  circle  of  his  influence. 

He  was  full  of  hope  and  good  cheer,  of  sunshine 
and  of  sympathy.  He  scattered  these  wherever  he 
went.  His  presence  was  a  joy  and  a  benediction.  In 
it,  selfishness  was  shamed,  the  tongue  of  slander  was 
silenced,  littleness,  narrowness  and  prejudice  slunk 
away. 

' '  The   weak   and   the   gentle, 
The  ribald  an(J  rude, 
He  took  as  he  found  them 
And  did  them  all  good." 

158 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVEB 


He  was  full  of  enthusiasm  and  his  enthusiasm  was 
contagious.  He  was  full  of  courage  and  his  courage, 
too,  was  contagious.  He  was  full  of  strength,  and  the 
weak  grew  strong  and  the  strong  grew  stronger,  under 
his  influence. 

He  was  full  of  energy,  tireless,  persistent  energy. 
He  was  full  of  honesty,  moral  and  intellectual,  private 
and  public,  old-fashioned,  rugged  honesty.  It  beamed 
from  every  feature  of  his  face ;  it  shone  in  every  act 
of  his  life ;  it  rang  in  every  tone  of  his  voice.  There 
was  nothing  hidden  about  him  because  there  was  noth- 
ing to  hide. 

He  was  full  of  faith  in  God  and  man,  and  faith 
in  the  final  triumph  of  the  right.  Therefore,  he  never 
gave  up  a  fight  for  right  and  was  never  cast  down  by 
defeat.  The  blood  of  the  Scotch  Covenanter  flowed 
in  his  veins  and  devotion  to  duty  and  consecration  to 
conviction  were  ruling  passions  with  him.  He  was 
ever  impatient  with  the  lack  of  these  in  others.  He 
was  a  hard  fighter  for  what  he  believed  in,  but  he 
always  fought  a  clean  fight ;  he  always  hit  above  the 
belt ;  he  always  respected  a  generous  foe ;  he  bore  no 
malice  when  the  fight  was  over. 

He  had  "a  hand  as  open  as  day  to  melting  charity." 
He  could  never  turn  a  deaf  ear  to  any  cry  of  need 
or  to  any  call  for  any  worthy  object.  How  much 
he  gave  away  will  never  be  known  until  the  great 
record  is  opened  at  the  great  white  throne.  Money 
to  him  was  "so  much  trash  as  may  be  grasped  thus" 
save  as  it  could  be  made  to  serve  him  and  to  serve 
others. 

159 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   UcIVEE 


/ 


He  had  large  capacity  for  enjoying  the  good  things 
of  this  life  and  believed  in  enjoying  them  in  all  proper 
ways.  Often  have  I  heard  him  quote  with  heart- 
iest approval  the  words  of  the  old  showman  in 
Dickens,  "The  people  muth  be  amused."  In  his 
philosophy  of  life,  pessimism,  puritanism,  pharisaism, 
asceticism  liad  no  place ;  religion  pure  and  undefiled 
had  large  place. 

He  was  a  man  of  great  intellectual  power  and  of 
rare  versatility  —  a  masterful  man.  Power  dwelt  in 
him  and  went  out  from  him. 

There  Avas  in  him  much  of  saving  commonsense; 
much  of  creative  and  constructive  power;  much  of 
that  gift  of  vision  vouchsafed  only  unto  greatness. 
He  was  a  fine  judge  of  men.  He  took  their  measure 
with  almost  unerring  judgment.  He  saw  their  faults, 
their  weakness,  was  patient  with  them  and  pitied 
them.  He  saw  their  virtues,  their  strength,  admired 
them  and  used  them.  He  never  allowed  the  one  to 
blind  him  to  the  other.  He  had  the  rarest  power 
that  I  have  ever  known  of  finding  the  best  in  men 
and  getting  the  best  out  of  men.  He  was  a  great  leader 
of  men. 

Without  any  of  the  arts  of  the  orator,  he  Avas  the 
most  convincing,  the  most  irresistible  speaker  that 
I  have  ever  heard.  He  was  too  intense,  too  earnest 
to  employ  paltry  decorations  of  speech.  He  spoke 
directly  and  simply  as  one  having  authority.  He  had 
a  message  and  felt  —  woe  is  me  if  I  do  not  deliver  it. 
He  forgot  himself  in  his  message.     Men  heard  him 

160 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVEB 


gladly,  thought  not  of  the  manner  of  the  man  or  of 
the  forms  of  his  speech,  but  never  forgot  the  message 
that  fell  from  his  lips,  the  fire  of  earnestness  and 
enthusiasm  that  was  struck  from  his  soul  as  he  spoke, 
and  kindled  fires  in  theirs  as  they  listened. 

He  would  have  been  successful  in  almost  any  calling 
— what  a  great  lawyer  he  could  have  been;  what  a 
supurb  leader  in  politics  and  public  life ;  what  a 
splendid  captain  of  industry  in  any  line;  what  a 
prince  of  promoters  in  any  great  commercial  enter- 
prise !  He  could  have  been  almost  anything  he  chose 
to  be. 

All  his  splendid  powers  he  joyously  laid  upon  the 
altar  of  public  service.  I  believe  that  God  anointed 
him  and  set  him  apart  as  a  servant  to  his  people. 
He  heard  the  call  to  service  and  followed  it  as  singly 
and  as  devotedly  as  ever  noble  knight  in  Arthurian 
legend  followed  the  Holy  Grail.  He  had  a  high  ideal 
of  public  service  and  to  it  he  subordinated  every 
tempting  offer  of  private  gain  or  personal  aggrandize- 
ment. Public  education  was  his  chosen  field  of  ser- 
vice. With  the  clearsightedness  of  greatness,  he  saw 
that  universal  education  was  the  only  hope  of  univer- 
sal emancipation  and  the  only  safe  foundation  for 
the  broadest  democracy.  He  saw,  too,  that  the  surest, 
shortest  road  to  universal  education  was  the  education 
of  woman,  the  mother  and  teacher,  and,  through  her. 
the  education  of  all  the  children  of  men.  To  this 
special  field,  therefore,  he  devoted  his  chief  attention, 
but  there  was  no  department  of  education  which  did 

161 


CHARLES   DUNCAN    McIVER 


not  receive  his  helpful  touch.  His  conception  of  public 
service,  however,  was  not  narrowed  to  the  one  field  of 
public  education.  He  was  active  in  every  field  that 
offered  opportunity  for  public  service  in  social,  politi- 
cal and  commercial  circles, — in  his  town,  in  his  State 
and  in  the  nation. 

This  was  the  man,  Charles  D.  Mclver,  as  I  knew 
him — great  in  mind,  great  in  heart,  great  in  service 
to  his  fellow-men — how  great,  men  did  not  fully  under- 
stand while  he  walked  beside  them,  but  know  now 
by  the  lengthened  and  ever  lengthening  shadow  of 
his  life  that  death  has  thrown  across  the  State,  across 
the  South,  across  the  nation.  He  is  gone !  To  those 
of  us  who  knew  him  best  and  loved  him  most,  life 
can  never  be  the  same  again,  there  can  be  no  other 
friend  like  him. 

"He  is  not  dead,  he  doth  not  sleep — 
He  hath  awakened  from  the  dream  of  life." 
"  'Tis  Death  is  dead,  not  he." 


162 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVER 


STATUE  IN  BRONZE 
GOVERNOR'S  PROCLAMATION 

To  the  People  of  North  Carolina: 

The  life  work  of  Charles  D.  Mclver  is  ended.  For 
twentj'-five  years  he  served  his  State  with  fidelity, 
zeal  and  efficiency  not  surpassed  in  her  annals.  No 
one  has  rendered  the  State  a  greater  service. 

It  is  now  the  high  duty  and  privilege  of  the 
people,  whom  he  served  with  unselfish  devotion,  to 
manifest  their  grateful  appreciation  of  his  life  and 
character  by  a  memorial  that  will  transmit  his  mem- 
ory to  posterity  and  be  a  perpetual  incentive  to  the 
youth  of  the  State  to  emulate  his  example. 

An  heroic  statue  in  bronze,  *  *  to  stand 
on  the  grounds  of  the  great  Institution  that  he  created, 
has  been  selected  by  general  consent  as  a  most  fitting 
memorial.  ****** 

In  order  to  raise  the  necessary  funds  and  take 
other  steps  for  securing  the  statue,  there  should  be 
at  least  six  committees,  representing  the  varied 
interests  promoted  by  his  life,  to  solicit  subscriptions 
from  the  people.  I  hereby  appoint  the  following 
chairmen  of  these  committees  : 

1.  For  the, Teachers  and  Children  of  the  Public  Schools: 
Hon.  J.  Y.  Joyner,  Ealeigh,  N.  C. 

2.  For  the  State  Normal  and  Industrial  College  and  its 
Alumnfe:     Miss  Gertrude  Mendenhall,  Greensboro,  N.  C. 

3.  For  the  Women  of  North  Carolina:  Mrs.  Lindsay- 
Patterson,  Winston-Salem,   N.   C. 

163 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVEB 


4.  For  the  University,  Colleges  and  Academies:  Dr.  F.  P. 
Amenable,  Chapel  Hill,  N.  C. 

5.  For  the  Men  of  North  Carolina:  Col.  W.  H.  Osborne, 
Greensboro,  N.  C. 

6.  For  the  Press  of  North  Carolina:  Hon.  Josephus 
Daniels,  Kaleigh,  N.  C. 

I  request  each  chairman  to  select  a  full  committee, 
of  not  less  than  five,  and  to  organize  the  same  imme- 
diately for  active  M'ork.  The  chairmen  of  these  com- 
mittees shall  constitute  a  general  executive  committee. 

Charles  D.  Mclver's  entire  life  was  given  for  the 
better  education  of  all  our  women,  the  improvement 
of  the  educational  opportunities  of  all  our  children, 
the  uplifting  of  all  our  citizenship,  and  the  elevation 
of  all  our  ideals  of  civic  service.  His  work  touched 
helpfully  all  classes  of  our  people.  Surely,  now,  we 
will  all  vie  with  each  other  in  establishing  this 
memorial.  R.  B.  Glenn, 

Governor  of  North  Carolina. 

McIVEE  LOAN  AND  SCHOLAESHIP  FUND 

From  The  North  Carolina  Journal  of  Education 

On  Tuesday  afternoon  of  November  the  twentieth, 
a  large  body  of  alumnae  and  former  students  of  the 
State  Normal  College  met  in  the  Administration 
Building.  This  meeting  was  held  immediately  after 
the  memorial  exercises.  There  were  representatives 
present  from  every  class  that  has  gone  out  from  the 
Institution  since  its  organization. 

164 


CHARLES   DUNCAN    McIVER 


The  object  of  this  meeting  was  to  establish  some 
permanent  memorial  that  would  fittingly  express  the 
love  of  the  students  for  their  great  teacher.  Several 
plans  were  proposed,  but  the  entire  body  united  on  the 
following  motion,  which  was  offered  by  Miss  Mary 
Applewhite:  "I  move  that  we  establish  as  an  ever- 
lasting memorial  to  Dr.  Mclver,  a  Mclver  Loan  and 
Scholarship  Fund,  with  the  understanding  that,  if 
at  any  time  we  see  that  we  can  aid  the  Board  of 
Trustees  in  carrying  out  any  specific  plan,  our  funds 
may  be  for  the  time  diverted  into  such  channel,  but 
to  revert  afterwards  to  the  original  purpose." 

It  is  the  purpose  of  the  alumnae  and  former  stu- 
dents to  raise  a  large  fund,  and  to  call  upon  all  the 
women  in  North  Carolina  to  contribute  to  this  fund, 
for  it  was  Dr.  Mclver 's  life  purpose  to  lift  woman- 
hood in  his  own  State.  No  definite  amount  was  fixed 
upon,  but  it  is  the  desire  of  these  young  Avomen  to 
raise  such  a  fund  that  no  needy  student  may  be  denied 
an  education,  but  that  the  Mclver  Loan  and  Scholar- 
ship Fund ,  shall  be  sufficiently  large  to  assist  every 
one  who  is  unable  to  provide  the  necessary  means,  but 
who  desires  a  college  education. 


165 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVER 


McIVEE  MEMOEIAL   DAY 

From  Preface  to  North  Carolina  Day  Pamplet 

To  the  Teacher: 

We  have  deemed  it  wise  and  proper  to  turn  aside 
this  year  from  our  plan  of  celebrating  North  Carolina 
Day  in  the  public  schools  by  the  study  of  the  great 
events  in  the  past  history  of  the  State  in  chronological 
order  to  let  the  children  study  the  life  and  character 
of  one  who,  in  years  to  come,  will  be  recognized  as 
the  greatest  educational  leader  of  our  day  and  as  a 
great  central  figure  in  the  educational  and  industrial 
development  of  our  State.  We  wish  this  day  to  be 
devoted,  therefore,  to  a  reverent  study  of  the  life, 
character,  and  unselfish  service  of  Charles  D.  Mclver, 
the  children's  friend,  the  teacher's  friend,  the  State's 
friend,  the  effective  and  courageous  champion  of  all 
that  vitally  affected  the  interests  of  these. 

We  Imow  no  more  effective  means  of  teaching  to 
the  children  of  this  generation  the  all-important  lesson 
of  civic  service  and  civic  dutj',  of  inspiring  them  with 
the  highest  ideal  of  patriotism  and  right  living  and 
of  inculcating  in  them  the  best  educational  doctrines 
than  the  stud}^  of  the  splendid  object-lesson  in  all 
to  be  found  in  the  simple  story  of  the  life  and  teach- 
ings of  this  man. 

Every  child  in  North  Carolina  ought  to  contribute 
something  to  the  fund  for  the  erection  of  an  heroic 
bronze  statue  to  his  memory.  Such  contribution 
would  be  an  object-lesson  to  each  child,  never  to  be 

166 


CHARLES    DUNCAN    McIVER 


forgotten,  in  properly  honoring  the  memory  of  a  great 

teacher  who  unselfishly  devoted  his  life  to  the  children 

and  the  State.  *  *  *  *  * 

Very  truly  yours, 

J.  Y.  JOYNER, 

Superintendent  Public  Instruction. 

McIVER  MEMORIAL  EXERCISES  OBSERVED  BY   THE 
PUBLIC  SCHOOLS 

From  The  North  Carolina  Journal  of  Education 

North  Carolina  Day  this  year  will  be  celebrated  as 
"Mclver  Memorial  Day,"  in  honor  of  the  late  Charles 
Duncan  Mclver,  and  on  the  frontispiece  of  the  pam- 
phlet will  appear  a  splendid  half-tone  engraving  of 
that  orator,  educational  statesman  and  teacher.  The 
date  named  this  year  is  Friday,  December  14th. 

The  program  is  as  follows : 

' '  The  Old  North  State ' '—  By  William  Gaston. 

Charles  Duncan  Mclver  —  A  Sonnet  by  Prof.  W.  C.  Smith, 
of  the  State   Normal  and  Industrial  College. 

Charles  Duncan  Mclver  —  A  Sketch  by  R.  D.  W.  Connor, 
of   the   State   Department    of   Education. 

"The    Coronach"— By   Sir  Walter   Scott. 

"He  Died  Poor  That  He  Might  Make  Others  Rich"— 
By  Josephus  Daniels,  Editor  of  the  News  and  Observer. 

Charles   D.    Mclver   as   I   Knew   Him  —  By  J.   Y.   Joyner. 

America  —  By  F.  S.  Smith. 

Some    Stories   of   Charles   D.   Mclver  —  By   J.   Y.   Joyner. 

Southern  Educational  Problems  —  Extracts  from  Addresses 
by  Charles  D.  Mclver. 

"Ho!   for  Carolina"— By  W.  B.  Harrell. 

167 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVER 


The  subject  for  discussion  this  year  is  a  departure 
from  the  rule  of  the  past  four  years,  which  has  been 
to  study  the  history  of  the  various  sections  of  the 
State.  But  it  is  fitting  that  the  public  school  pupils 
throughout  the  State  should  have  brought  close  to 
their  attention  the  life  of  this  man  who  has  done 
so  much  for  the  cause  of  education  in  North  Carolina 
and  in  whose  death  the  State  has  lost  her  greatest 
educational  leader. 

UNIVERSITY    OF    NORTH    CAROLINA 
Press  Correspondence  from  Chapel  Hill 

The  next  number  of  the  University  Record,  soon 
to  be  issued  from  the  press,  will  contain  a  sketch 
of  the  life  of  the  late  Dr.  Charles  D.  Mclver,  written 
by  a  member  of  the  University  faculty.  Dr.  Mclver 
was  a  most  loyal  alumnus  of  the  Institution,  and 
a  deep  loss  is  here  felt  on  account  of  his  death.  There 
was  general  and  profound  sadness  among  the  students 
Tuesday  morning  when  President  Venable  announced 
Dr.  Mclver 's  death,  and  spoke  briefly  but  fittingly 
of  the  life  and  service  of  this  man  and  of  the  State's 
loss  in  his  death.  Later  in  the  day  the  old  college  bell 
was  tolled  as  a  mark  of  respect  to  his  memory. 

Dr.  Mclver 's  devotion  to  the  University  never 
lagged  during  the  twenty-five  years  elapsing  between 
the  time  of  his  graduation  and  his  death.  During 
this  period  Dr.  Mclver  has  failed  to  attend  only 
one  University  commencement.  In  recognition  of 
his  ability  and  enthusiasm  as  an  educator  the  Univer- 

168 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVEB 


sity  twice  conferred  honorary  degrees  upon  him. 
About  ten  years  ago  he  was  given  the  degree  of  Doctor 
of  Literature,  and  two  years  ago  the  degree  of  Doc- 
tor of  Laws  was  conferred  upon  him. 

DAVIDSON  COLLEGE 

Special   Correspondence   to   Charlotte  Observer 

Davidson,  Sept.  24. —  President  Smith  after  chapel 
yesterday  morning  addressed  the  students  on  the  life 
and  services  to  Church  and  State  of  the  late  Charles 
D.  Mclver.  This  was  the  first  opportunity  offering 
for  a  memorial  service  in  honor  of  the  distinguished 
educator  since  Dr.  Smith's  return  from  the  funeral 
in  Greensboro.  His  remarks  and  eulogistic  review 
of  the  dead  man 's  work  in  behalf  of  education  and  his 
unselfish  devotion  to  the  cause  that  he  espoused  in 
early  manhood  and  toiled  for  through  twenty-five 
years  were  heard  with  manifest  interest.  This  life- 
story  is  truly  one  that  has  in  it  inspiration  and 
encouragement  for  any  noble-hearted  and  aspiring 
youth,  and  the  example  is  one  that  any  man  might  be 
proud  to  imitate  closely.  Dr.  Smith  spoke  of  his 
struggle  against  the  lack  of  early  advantages,  such 
as  wealth  and  influential  friends  might  have  given 
him;  how,  without  any  "boosting"  from  outside,  but 
only  by  his  indomitable  pluck  and  energy  and  strength 
and  determination,  united  vnth  health  of  body  and 
fine  mental  capacity,  he  climbed  to  positions  of  honor 
and  usefulness  and  to  a  degree  of  popularity  that  it  is 

169 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVER 


no  exaggeration  to  say  would  have  placed  him  in  the 
governorship  had  he  desired  it.  *  *  * 

What  were  the  special  elements  contributing  to  such 
success?  First,  his  uncommon,  marvelous  energy. 
It  was  no  unusual  thing  to  hear  him  described  as  a 
"steam  engine."  As  there  is  no  true  success  for  a 
lazy  man,  so  there  is  the  most  marked  success  for  a 
man  who  knows  not  what  laziness  is.  A  leading 
citizen  of  Greensboro,  he  was  on  every  committee 
where  there  was  special  work  to  be  done,  and  usually 
Dr.  Mclver  was  the  committee,  so  far  as  the  labor 
and  the  responsibility  were  concerned. 

Second,  his  unselfish  devotion  to  things  outside  of 
himself  and  his  own  personal  interests.  He  gave 
himself  to  the  upbuilding  of  the  State  Normal  College 
and  nothing  could  tempt  him  to  abandon  that  work. 
*  *  His  leisure  time  was  all  spent  in  lecturing 
and  working  in  the  interest  of  education         *         * 

Third,  his  warm  heart  and  kindly  nature  that 
made  friends,  disarmed  those  who  would  fight  him 
and  made  him  universally  beloved.  Among  those 
who  knew  him  there  were  not  two  camps,  one  of  foes 
and  one  of  friends  —  all  men  esteemed  him. 

Fourth,  earnest,  faithful  consistent  Christian 
character.  This,  after  all,  was  the  basis  of  his  other 
virtues  and  excellencies,  this  was  the  root  from  which 
sprang  all  the  other  graces  and  qualities  that  adorned 
his  life.  He  is  justly  entitled  to  be  called  a  great 
man,  great  in  his  aims  and  ideals  and  plans  and  in 
the  work  accomplished. 

170 


CHARLES   DUNCAN    McIVER 


WAKE  FOEEST  COLLEGE 

Special  to  Daily  Industrial  News 

Wake  Forest  College,  Sept.  19. —  Yesterday  morn- 
ing at  chapel  exercises  President  Poteat  spoke  of  Dr. 
Mclver's  usefulness  to  the  State  and  said,  in  part: 

"It  is  fitting  that  we  should  pause  this  morning 
because  of  a  matter  that  is  of  concern  to  all  enlight- 
ened citizens  of  North  Carolina.  Dr.  Mclver  was  a 
man  of  sunny,  genial  disposition  and  consequently 
made  friends  everywhere.  There  is  no  man  probably 
in  North  Carolina  who  has  done  so  much  for  the 
public  schools  of  the  State,  and  he,  probably  more 
than  any  other  man,  deserves  credit  for  placing  our 
public  schools  in  their  present  system.  *  * 

' '  Dr.  Melver  is  probably  most  remembered  for  what 
he  has  done  for  the  girls  of  the  State.  Not  only  has 
he  been  a  representative  of  the  girls  of  North  Carolina, 
claiming  for  them  an  education,  but  in  most  respects 
stands  out  in  prominence  for  having  brought  about 
opportunities  for  the  obtaining  by  the  girls  of  an 
education  equal  to  that  of  the  men.  Through  such 
efforts  as  these  the  State  Normal  College  came  into 
existence. 

"The  death  of  such  a  man  is  a  public  calamity." 

TEINITY   COLLEGE 

Special  Correspondence  to  Charlotte  Observer 

At  chapel  exercises  yesterday  morning  (September 
19th,)  Dr.  Kilgo  spoke  of  the  great  loss  to  the  State 

171 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVER 


caused  by  the  death  of  Dr.  Charles  D.  Mclver  and, 
as  a  token  of  the  high  esteem  and  admiration  in  which 
he  was  held  by  Trinity  College,  the  national  flag, 
which  floats  each  day  over  the  campus,  was  lowered 
to  half  mast  and  so  remained  during  the  day. 

GUILFORD    COLLEGE 

Press   Correspondence 

Guilford  College,  Sept.  18. —  The  faculty  and  stu- 
dent body  of  Guilford  College  realize  very  keenly  the 
loss  to  the  State  in  the  death  of  Dr.  Charles  D.  Mclver, 
President  of  the  State  Normal  and  Industrial  College. 
In  the  chapel  exercises  this  morning  President  Hobbs 
spoke  of  the  great  life  of  the  deceased  president. 
He  said  in  part : 

"We  recognize  in  the  death  of  our  friend,  Dr. 
Charles  D.  Mclver,  the  removal  from  amongst  us  of 
the  greatest  champion  of  popular  education  that  the 
State  has  produced,  a  man  of  great  energy,  tireless 
perseverance  and  undaunted  courage.  His  keen  sense 
of  discernment,  his  almost  unequaled  power  of  argu- 
mentation, and  his  popular  and  even  captivating 
method  of  oratory,  along  with  his  devotion,  amounting 
to  a  consecration  of  his  entire  being  to  the  cause  of 
education,  combined  to  make  Dr.  Mclver  a  great  man 
and  have  won  for  him  a  name  not  only  in  North  Caro- 
lina and  throughout  the  South,  but  in  the  entire 
nation. 

"He  saw  twenty-five  years  ago  what  was  the  vital 
need  of  North  Carolina  and  worked  for  a  definite  end 

172 


CHARLES    DUNCAN    McIVEE 


day  and  night,  and  produced  results  that  have  seldom, 
if  ever,  been  equaled  in  any  part  of  our  country.  He 
was  called  of  God,  I  believe,  to  champion  the  cause 
of  education  at  a  time  when  no  one  could  have  suc- 
ceeded but  a  born  reformer.  He  possessed  the  quali- 
ties specially  fitted  to  arouse  communities  and  the 
entire  State  to  the  absolute  necessity  of  education  to 
preserve  the  life  of  the  Commonwealth  through  the 
training  of  young  people  for  service.  Dr.  Mclver 
accomplished  a  work  for  women  that  will  perpetuate 
his  name  forever  in  the  history  of  North  Carolina; 
and  the  State  Normal  College  stands  as  a  monument 
to  his  genius  and  to  his  splendid  power  of  achieve- 
ment, ' ' 

WHITSETT  INSTITUTE 

Special  to  Charlotte  Observer 

Whitsett,  Sept.  20.-^In  speaking  to  the  students 
of  Whitsett  at  chapel  service  this  morning  concerning 
the  life  of  the  late  Dr.  Charles  D.  Mclver,  Dr.  W.  T. 
Whitsett  said  in  part : 

"A  friend  of  humanity  and  a  prince  among  teach- 
ers has  fallen  asleep.  Dr.  Mclver  was  interested  not 
alone  in  his  special  work  for  the  women  of  the  State, 
but  felt  a  deep  interest  in  all  things  that  looked 
toward  the  advancing  of  humanity  along  all  nobler 
and  higher  lines.  He  was  a  splendid  type  of  the 
citizen-teacher,  and  as  a  man  of  affairs  ranked  with 
the  best.  The  results  of  his  study  and  thought  he 
freely  gave  to  the  world  that  all  might  share  in  the 
good  of  his  conclusions.     His  vitalizing  influence  was 

173 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVEB 


felt  deeply  in  Greensboro,  the  city  he  loved  so  well, 
and  in  Guilford,  his  adopted  county,  but  it  did  not 
stop  there;  it  went  out  over  North  Carolina  and  the 
entire  nation. 

"His  faith  in  the  ultimate  triumph  of  that  which 
was  best  was  so  strong  that  he  would  rather  suffer 
defeat  today,  and  triumph  in  the  future,  than  to  yield 
to  his  convictions  along  the  lines  of  his  higher  efforts. 
Among  the  teachers  of  the  entire  South  he  was  a 
mighty  force,  and  wherever  two  or  three  were  gathered 
together  to  plan  for  the  betterment  of  our  children 
there  he  was  always  hopeful  and  willing  to  toil  and 
labor  that  others  might  be  helped. 

"The  entire  educational  world  will  mourn  his  sad 
death  sincerely  and  it  will  be  long  until  we  can  recon- 
cile ourselves  to  feel  that  we  shall  hear  his  inspiring 
voice  no  more ;  but  his  influence  is  eternal  and  will 
always  move  among  us  to  help  on  to  higher  ends." 

OAK  EIDGE  INSTITUTE 
Special  Correspondence  to  Charlotte  Observer 

Chapel  exercises  yesterday  morning  (September 
19th)  were  converted  into  memorial  exercises  in  honor 
of  the  late  Dr.  Charles  D.  Mclver.  Addresses  were 
made  by  the  principals  of  the  school  and  others. 

OXFOED   SEMINARY 
Raleigh   News  and  Observer 

Oxford,  N.  C,  Sept.  20.— At  the  close  of  chapel 
service  this  morning  President  Hobgood  paid  the 
following  tribute  to  the  memory  of  President  Mclver : 

174 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVEB 


"When  a  life  of  high  ideals  and  noble  purposes 
passes  out,  it  is  fitting  and  helpful  to  pause  a  while 
and  consider  this  life.     Such  a  life  was  Charles  D. 
Mclver's.     In  common  with  thousands  of  others,  I 
mourn  his  death.    He  was  my  warm  personal  friend, 
whom   I    greatly    admired.      His  removal    from   the 
ranks   of   the   educators   of   North    Carolina   is   the 
greatest  loss  that  has  occurred  within  my  recollection. 
I  do  not  hesitate  to  say  that  in  my  opinion  he  has 
affected  the  educational  interests  of  the  State  in  a 
greater  degree  than  any  other  man  that  has  ever  lived 
in  it.     I  remember  well  his  first  appearance  in  the 
Teachers'  Assembly,  in  which  body  he  soon  rose  to 
great   influence.     He   was   the   prime   mover   in   the 
establishment  of  the  Normal  College  at  Greensboro, 
which  is  his  monument.     He   was  chairman  of  the 
committee    appointed   at   several    sessions   to   memo- 
rialize the  Legislature  for  the  establishment  of  this 
College;   and   knowing   how   to   influence   men,    and 
thoroughly  persevering,  he,  with  President  Alderman, 
of   the   University   of  Virginia,   his   able   coadjutor, 
finally  succeeded  in  inducing  the  Legislature  to  estab- 
lish  it.      The    next    great    work    that    he    accom- 
plished for  the  public  schools  of  the  State  Avas  secur- 
ing the  passage  of  an  act  authorizing  communities 
to  vote  a  special  tax  to  extend  the  school  term.     The 
third  service  he  rendered  the  State  was  in  behalf  of 
better  supervision  of  public  schools.    At  first  he  pro- 
posed that  two  or  three  counties  elect  a  first-class  man 
who  should  give  his  whole  time  to  the  schools  of  these 

175 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVEK 


counties.  The  success  of  this  movement  was  far  be- 
yond his  expectation,  for  very  many,  perhaps  a  major- 
ity of  the  counties,  have  a  superintendent  giving  his 
whole  time  to  the  schools  of  his  county.  This  review 
takes  no  account  of  the  great  work  that  he  did 
in  institute  work,  especially  that  part  of  the  institute 
work  that  related  to  educational  rallies,  in  which  he 
made  addresses  to  the  public  to  arouse  educational 
sentiment.  I  am  not  attempting  to  give  his  life  in 
detail.  He  was  thoroughly  devoted  to  his  calling. 
Large  salaries  offered  to  turn  him  aside  from  his  work 
had  no  temptation  for  him.  He  could  say  in  his 
heart  with  the  great  Prof.  Agassiz :  '  I  have  no  time 
for  making  money. ' 

"Mclver  lived  a  devoted  life  and  passed  away  in  its 
prime.  He  had  accomplished  the  work  that  God  gave 
him  to  do  on  earth,  and  I  do  not  doubt  that  the  same 
talents  and  zeal  so  conspicuous  here  are  in  use  today 
in  some  other  sphere  of  the  universe. ' ' 

PEACE   INSTITUTE 
Raleigh  News  and  Observer 

There  was  celebrated  j^esterday,  at  Peace  Institute, 
Mclver  Memorial  Exercises  in  which  there  was  an 
excellent  program  of  music  and  recitations  by  stu- 
dents of  the  College  and  an  address  concerning  the 
late  Dr.  Charles  D.  Mclver,  by  Mr.  Josephus  Daniels, 
editor  of  the  News  and  Observer.  Most  appropriate 
it  was  that  the  first  school  memorial  exercises  of  Dr. 

176 


CHARLES   DUNCAN    McIVER 


Melver  were  held  at  Peace,  as  he  was  a  professor  there 
in  his  early  career  as  an  educator. 

In  referring  to  Dr.  Mclver's  work  Mr.  Daniels 
made  prominent  that  which  went  to  make  woman 
see  her  duty  as  a  citizen,  this  being  one  of  the  life- 
teachings  of  Dr.  McIver,  who  lent  all  his  energies  to 
the  best  education  of  the  women  of  North  Carolina. 

DUPLIN    COUNTY    NOEMAL    COLLEGE    ALUMNA 
Duplin  Journal 

Seldom  has  it  been  the  privilege  of  Warsaw  to 
entertain  a  more  attractive  body  of  young  women  than 
gathered  there  on  Monday,  December  3rd,  to  honor 
with  their  presence  and  tributes  the  memorial  service 
of  their  friend  and  leader.  Dr.  Charles  D.  McIver. 

The  meeting  was  held  at  the  Carlton  Hotel.  In  addi- 
tion to  the  alumnfe  and  former  students  many  ladies 
of  the  town  w^ere  present. 

Miss  Margaret  Peirce,  one  of  the  most  loyal  daugh- 
ters of  the  Normal  College,  presided. 

The  program  was  as  follows: 

"Character  Sketch  of  Dr.  McIver,"  by  Miss  Mary 
Faison  DeVane. 

Miss  Kate  Barden,  of  Kenansville,  then  spoke  on 
"Duplin  County's  Debt  to  Dr.  McIver  and  How 
Best  to  Repay  It. ' ' 

A  poem  by  Miss  Helen  Hicks  brought  out  the 
thought  that  Dr.  Mclver's  life  was  most  happy,  for 
he  had  lived  gloriously. 

177 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVER 


Miss  Elizabeth  Hicks  then  spoke  of  Dr.  Mclver's 
classroom  influence  and  of  his  ability  to  inspire  self- 
improvement  in  others. 

Miss  Maria  Loftin,  as  a  representative  of  the  first 
year's  students,  spoke  of  "Conditions  at  the  Normal 
College  in  1892 ' '.  She  described  the  wonderful  devel- 
opment of  the  Institution  under  the  wise  guidance  of 
Dr.  Mclver. 

UNIVEKSITY  ALUMNI,  WAKE  COUNTY  ASSOCIATION 
Raleigh  News  and  Observer 

The  third  annual  banquet  of  the  University  Alumni 
was  held  from  eight  until  half  after  ten  o'clock  last 
evening  (Oct.  14,  1906),  and  was  thoroughly  enjoyed 
by  some  forty  of  the  more  than  one  hundred  Wake 
County  alumni. 

A  letter  was  read  from  Dr.  G.  T.  Winston,  former 
president  of  the  University,  who  was  called  away 
from  town,  in  which  he  proposed  the  following  toast: 

"To  the  memory  of  Charles  Duncan  Mclver,  a  pro- 
duct of  the  new  University,  a  worker  whose  public 
services  to  North  Carolina  have  repaid  all  the  money 
invested  by  the  State  in  his  alma  mater." 

To  this  toast  County  Superintendent  Judd  was 
called  to  respond,  and  spoke  eloquently  of  the  life 
and  work  of  Dr.  Charles  D.  Mclver  and  of  his  service 
to  popular  education. 


178 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVER 


UNIVEESITY  ALUMNI,  GUILFORD  COUNTY  ASSOCIA- 
TION  McIVER  LOAN   FUND 

Greensboro  Patriot 

University  Day  was  elaborately  celebrated  in  this 
city  (Greensboro)  by  the  University  Alumni  Associa- 
tion of  Guilford  County.  *  #  #  # 

Dr.  J.  E.  Brooks  announced  that  the  association  had 
decided  to  depart  from  its  usual  custom  of  giving  a 
scholarship  to  some  deserving  young  man  and  instead 
to  establish  a  ' '  Mclver  Loan  Fund, ' '  for  general  use 
in  helping  needy  boys  entering  the  University,  regard- 
less of  what  part  of  the  State  they  were  from.  A 
substantial  sum  was  subscribed.         *         *         *         # 

SALISBURY  GRADED  SCHOOL 
Special  to  Daily  Industrial  News 

The  teachers  of  the  graded  school  yesterday  morn- 
ing sent  a  telegram  of  condolence  to  the  family  of  Dr. 
Charles  D.  Mclver,  a  man  under  whom  a  majority 
of  them  took  tutelage  and  by  whom  he  was  univer- 
sally loved.  Salisbury  has  a  greater  percentage  of 
Normal  College  graduates  teaching  in  the  schools  here 
than  any  town  in  the  State. 

The  teachers  of  the  school  met  and  decided  to 
establish  a  scholarship  in  his  honor,  which  they  will 
call  the  Rowan  Teachers '  Scholarship,  supported  solely 
hy  the  teachers  from  this  county  who  were  State 
Normal  College  students. 


179 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVER 


TEANSYLVANIA  COUNTY  TEACHERS 

From  Sylvan  Valley  News 

An  entertainment  will  be  held  in  the  court  house 
Friday  evening,  January  18th,  in  memory  of  Dr. 
Charles  D.  Mclver,  the  deceased  president  of  the 
State  Normal  and  Industrial  College  at  Greensboro. 
All  the  citizens  of  the  county,  far  and  near,  are  urged 
to  be  present  and  do  homage  to  the  memory  of  one 
of  North  Carolina's  greatest  sons,  the  grand  and 
noble  educator  who  said,  "No  State  which  will  once 
educate  its  mothers  need  have  any  fear  about 
illiteracy." 

The  proceeds  of  the  entertainment  are  to  assist  in 
the  establishment  of  a  Mclver  Loan  Fund  which  the 
students  of  the  State  Normal  College  are  attempting 
to  raise.  This  Loan  Fund  is  for  the  benefit  of  worthy 
young  women  who  are  financially  unable  to  secure 
an  education  without  some  assistance.  To  extend  a 
helping  hand  to  helpless  women  and  children  was  one 
of  the  strongest  impulses  of  this  great  benefactor's 
life,  and  we  consider  that  no  more  fitting  monument 
than  this  Loan  Fund  could  be  erected  to  his  memory. 
Let  all  come  out  to  learn  of  him  and  aid  in  establish- 
ing this  monument. 

GRAHAM   GRADED   SCHOOL 
Alamance  Gleaner 

Yesterday  at  11 :00  o'clock  while  the  funeral  of  Dr. 
Charles  D.  Mclver  was  being  conducted  in  Greens- 

180 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVEB 


boro  the  entire  graded  school  here  assembled  in  the 
chapel  and  held  a  beautiful  and  impressive  memorial 
service.  In  the  beginning  of  the  service  Prof.  Robert- 
son told  briefly  of  Dr.  Mclver's  life  as  an  educator  and 
of  how  closely  he  had  been  associated  with  our 
own  school;  how  he  had  been  instrumental  in  its 
establishment;  and  that  our  first  and  former  superin- 
tendent was  his  own  brother,  and  that  four  of  our 
teachers  were  his  students ;  and  hence  how  eminently 
fitting  it  was  for  the  school  to  come  together  in  memo- 
rial service. 

WAKE    COUNTY    TEACHERS'    ASSOCIATION 
Baleigh  News  and  Observer 

A  memorial  service  in  honor  of  the  late  Dr.  Charles 
D.  Mclver  was  held  here  tonight,  Nov.  30th,  by  the 
Wake  County  Teachers'  Association,  the  principal 
features  being  an  address  on  "Charles  D.  Mclver  as 
a  Citizen  of  North  Carolina,"  by  Josephus  Daniels, 
editor  of  the  A^eivs  and  Observer,  and  an  address, 
"Appreciation  for  Dr.  Mclver,"  by  J.  Y.  Joyner, 
State  Superintendent  of  Public  Instruction. 

The  influence  of  Dr.  Mclver  on  the  education  of 
women  was  discussed  by  three  young  women,  Miss 
Mary  Arrington,  from  the  viewpoint  of  a  college  stu- 
dent, Miss  Ada  V.  Womble,  as  a  teacher,  and  Miss 
Edith  Royster  from  the  viewpoint  of  "a  citizen- 
woman." 


181 


RESOLUTIONS 


BOARD   OF   DIRECTOES   OF   THE   STATE   NORMAL 
COLLEGE 

Resolved,  by  the  Board  of  Directors  of  the  North 
Carolina  State  Normal  and  Industrial  College : 

First:  That  we  deeply  deplore  the  death  of  Dr. 
Charles  D.  Mclver,  President  of  this  Institution.  He 
Avas  the  originator  of  the  idea  of  the  State  Normal 
and  Industrial  College;  the  founder  of  the  Institu- 
tion; its  faithful  friend  in  adversity  and  prosperity; 
and  in  his  death  the  Institution  has  suffered  an 
irreparable  loss,  the  State  and  the  nation  one  of  their 
foremost  educators,  and  popular  education  a  vigorous 
defender  and  advocate. 

Second :  Dr.  Mclver  had  mental  capacity  to  devise, 
heart  and  enthusiasm  to  inspire,  energy  to  execute. 
He  had  but  one  purpose,  one  desire,  one  ambition  in 
life,—  to  serve  and  elevate  mankind. 

Third :  He  was  a  man  of  broad  and  patriotic  senti- 
ments and  sympathies.  He  loved  his  State  with  a  deep 
devotion,  and  believed  that  all  the  interests  of  the 
State  could  be  best  served  and  advanced  and  popular 
education  could  be  best  fostered  by  training  and 
elevating  for  service  in  the  home,  the  church,  and  the 
schools,  the  young  womanhood  of  the  State.  For 
this  idea  and  to  advance  this  purpose  he  gave  his 
efforts,  his  energies  and  his  life. 

182 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVEB 


Fourth :  The  State  Normal  and  Industrial  College, 
with  its  magnificent  buildings  and  equipment,  is  a 
visible  monument  to  his  memory;  but  in  the  hearts 
of  the  people  of  North  Carolina  there  is  a  monument 
to  his  life  and  service  more  lasting  than  stone,  bronze 
or  marble. 

Fifth :  Resolved,  That  the  chairman  of  this  Board 
appoint  a  committee  of  three  to  act  with  the  Dean 
of  the  Faculty  in  arranging  for  a  public  memorial  ser- 
vice to  be  held  at  the  College  on  Thursday,  October 
11th,  1906,  and  to  present  at  that  time  a  suitable 
memorial  commemorative  of  the  life  and  service  of 
the  distinguished  dead. 

Sixth:  Resolved,  That  the  Board  officially  and 
personally  join  with  the  widow  and  family  of  the 
deceased  in  mourning  the  loss  that  we  have  in  common 
sustained,  and  that  we  tender  to  them  assurance  of 
our  deepest  and  tenderest  sympathy. 

B.  F.  Aycock,  Wayne  County. 
T.  B.  Bailey,  Davie  County. 

A.  J.  Conner,  Northampton  County. 

S.  M.  Gattis,  Orange  County. 

R.  T.  Gray,  Wake  County. 

J.  Y.  JoYNER,  Guilford  County. 

C.  H.  Mebane,  Catawba  County. 
J.  D.  Murphy,  Buncombe  County. 
J.  L.  Nelson,  Caldwell  County. 

J.  F.  Post,  Jr.,  New  Hanover  County. 
T.  S.  McMullan,  Perquimans  County. 


183 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVER 


FACULTY  OF  THE  STATE  NORMAL  COLLEGE 

We,  the  Faculty  of  the  State  Normal  and  Industrial 
College,  wish  to  record  our  grateful  appreciation  of 
the  remarkably  successful  and  singularly  useful  life 
of  our  honored  President,  helpful  co-worker,  and 
esteemed  friend,  Charles  Duncan  Mclver. 

While  our  hearts  are  deeply  saddened  by  the  loss 
of  his  genial  prasence,  his  magnetic  personality,  and 
his  friendly  sympathy,  we  feel  that  his  spirit  is  still 
with  us.  The  sunshine  of  his  abiding  optimism,  and 
the  radiance  of  his  cheerful  hopefulness,  will  continue 
to  brighten  for  us  the  path  of  duty. 

Dr.  Mclver 's  was  a  soul  too  generous  to  entertain 
jealousy,  too  noble  for  pride.  Neither  wealth  nor 
public  honors  could  tempt  him  from  his  unselfish 
devotion  to  what  he  regarded  as  the  State's  greatest 
need.  His  was  the  truly  great  character  that  stands 
the  crucial  test  of  service  to  humanity. 

For  him  no  undertaking  was  too  difficult  if  its 
accomplishment  meant  a  larger  life  for  his  people; 
no  burden  too  heavy  for  him  to  bear  if  thereby  it 
was  made  lighter  for  the  shoulders  of  another.  His 
example  can  but  inspire  us  with  courage  to  continue 
the  work  which  he  had  so  wisely  planned  and  so  suc- 
cessfully begun  at  this  College. 

We  count  it  a  privilege  to  have  been  guided  by  his 
masterly  hand,  inspired  by  his  magnanimous  spirit, 
and  aided  by  his  sympathetic  co-operation.  We,  who 
remember  his  sweet  spirit  of  charity,  delight  in  bear- 
ing testimony  to  the  fact  that  his  life  was  a  beautiful 

184 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVEB 


demonstration  of  that  sublime  truth  which  he  so  often 

read  in  our  presence :     ' '  Now   abideth  faith,   hope, 

and  charity,  these  three,  but  the  greatest  of  these  is 

charity. ' ' 

Viola  Boddie, 

Gertrude  W.  Mendenhall, 

S.  M.  KiRKLAND, 

Melville  V.  Fort, 
E.  J.  Forney. 

ADELPHIAN  LITEEARY  SOCIETY  OF  STATE  NOEMAL 
COLLEGE 

We  feel  that  in  the  death  of  our  President,  Dr. 
Charles  D,  Mclver,  the  Adelphian  Literary  Society 
has  lost  its  most  valuable  guide  and  counsellor.  To 
many  of  us  he  was  not  only  our  College  President, 
but  a  close  personal  friend,  and  those  of  us  who  have 
been  here  with  him  esteem  it  a  privilege  to  have 
had  our  lives  touch  his,  to  have  been  quickened  by  his 
live  spirit,  to  have  had  put  into  us  some  of  his 
enthusiasm  and  hope  for  the  future,  and  to  have 
known  something  of  his  clear  insight  and  foresight, 
and  ability  to  plan  large  things  for  us  and  for  the 
College  which  he  loved  more  than  life. 

His  plans  were  not  laid  for  time  as  we  measure  it, 
but  the  endless  years  stretched  out  before  his  vision, 
and  he  showed  his  wisdom  when  he  invested  his  time 
and  strength  in  this  great  work  to  which  he  gave 
his  life. 


185 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVEK 


Let  us  hope  that  his  purpose  may  be  recognized 
and  fulfilled  by  all  who  enter  this  College,  and  that 
we  may  all  be  inspired  and  controlled  by  "the  power 
of  an  endless  life." 

"He  was  made  not  after  the  law  of  a  carnal  com- 
mandment, but  after  the  power  of  an  endless  life." 

These  to  our  President,   since  we  hold  him  dear, 

Through  all  these  years  we  have  learned  to  love  him  well. 

And  now  that  he  is  gone   we  love  him  more; 
And  so  it  must  be  ever  to  the  end. 

The  problems   great   and   small   alike  were   his, 
And  in  the  solving  he  but  grew  more  strong, 

Whose  breadth  of  vision  seemed  to  come  with  age, 
And   strength   of   purpose   with   the   added   years. 

For  life  like   this   and   service   such   as  his. 
Our  thanks  we  render  to  the  God  who  gave. 

And  pray  while  time  is   given  us  here  to   serve, 
We  too  may  follow  where  he  saw  the  light. 

Miss   Mendenhall, 
Flora  Thornton, 
Mary  Exum, 

Committee. 

CORNELIAN   LITERARY   SOCIETY    OF    STATE 
NORMAL    COLLEGE 

The  Cornelian  Literary  Society  wishes  to  bear  testi- 
mony to  the  useful  life  and  wonderfully  helpful  exam- 
ple of  our  beloved  President,  Charles  Duncan  Mclver. 
Ilis  habitual  cheerfulness,  his  unfailing  courage,  his 

186 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVER 


devotion  to  duty,  and  his  boundless  faith  in  humanity 
will  ever  be  an  inspiration  to  us. 

We  gratefully  attribute  to  him  the  opportunities 
now  afforded  the  women  of  our  State  for  obtaining  a 
broad  and  practical  education.  It  was  through  his 
efforts  that  the  women  of  North  Carolina  were  brought 
to  a  realization  of  their  responsibilities  as  citizens; 
but  he  emphasized  no  less  the  importance  of  educating 
a  woman  for  her  home.  Those  who  knew  him  well 
are  familiar  with  his  saying:  "Educate  a  man  and 
you  educate  an  individual ;  educate  a  woman  and  you 
educate  a  home. ' ' 

His  trust  in  the  students  and  his  appeal  to  their 
honor  and  loyalty  ever  aroused  a  public  sentiment 
that  resulted  in  faithful  work  and  right  conduct.  He 
constantly  held  before  us  the  noblest  ideal  of  democ- 
racy— an  ideal  which  recognizes  true  worth  and  honest 
service  regardless  of  class  distinctions. 

To  fonn  a  correct  estimate  of  his  worth,  his  life 
should  be  measured  not  by  years  but  by  deeds : 

"For  the  shortest  life  is  longest,  if    'tis  best; 
'Tis  ours  to  work,  to  God  belongs  the  rest. 
Our  lives  are  measured  by  the  deeds  we  do. 
The  thoughts  we  think,  the  objects  we  pursue. 
Though  all  too  short  his  course  and  quickly  run, 
'Twas  full  and  glorious  as  the  orbed  sun. ' ' 

Mena  Davis, 
Mabel  Howell, 
Mary   Mitchell, 

Committee. 

187 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVER 


YOUNG   WOMAN'S    CHRISTIAN    ASSOCIATION    OF 
STATE    NORMAL    COLLEGE 

In  the  death  of  our  beloved  President,  the  Young 
Woman's  Christian  Association  has  lost  a  true  and 
sympathetic  friend.  We  feel  keenly  the  lack  of  his 
ready  aid  in  every  good  work,  of  his  unselfish.  Christ- 
like spirit.  His  life  was  an  expression  of  Christian 
love  and  service,  and  the  high  ideals  which  he  set 
before  us  will  long  live  in  the  memory  of  a  grateful 
people.  We  would  not  repine;  we  believe  that  the 
great  All-Father  is  too  good  to  be  unkind,  too  wise 
to  make  a  mistake.    "He  was  not,  for  God  took  him." 

Christina  Snyder, 
Rena  Lassiter, 
Vaughn  White, 

Committee, 

SENIOR  CLASS  OF  STATE  NORMAL  COLLEGE 

To  each  member  of  the  Senior  Class  of  the  State  Nor- 
mal and  Industrial  College  the  death  of  our  President 
is  a  personal  sorrow.  For  three  years  we  were 
guided  by  his  counsel  and  inspired  by  his  high  ideals 
till  his  influence  upon  us  has  crystallized  into  a 
steady  purpose. 

If,  as  a  class  or  as  individuals  we  have  gained 
in  strength  since  our  entrance  here,  we  attribute  it. 
in  great  measure,  to  his  inspiration.  Never  too  tired 
to  help  with  advice ;  never  too  pre-occupied  to  sympa- 
thize  with   each   girl's    aspirations,   his   approbation 

188 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVEB 


was  a  thing  to  be  sought  and  his  kindly  criticism  a 
thing  to  be  appreciated. 

Since  his  life  was  one  of  service,  its  purpose  may  be 
expressed  in  the  following  prayer:  "Grant,  Lord, 
that  I  some  service  to  mankind  may  render  in  my 
little  space  of  years.  Naught  else  I  ask  but  that 
when  life  is  done,  some  one  may  say :  '  He  was  God 's 
tool.'" 

May  Lovelace, 

Eleanore  Elliott, 
Vaughn  White, 

Committee. 

JUNIOR  CLASS  OF  STATE  NORMAL  COLLEGE 

As  members  of  the  Junior  Class  we  wish  to  express 
our  love  and  esteem  for  our  late  President,  Dr.  Charles 
Duncan  Mclver.  During  the  two  years  of  our  college 
life  his  noble  example  has  been  a  constant  inspiration. 
He  has  impressed  upon  us  the  necessity  of  having 
a  high  purpose  in  life,  and  has  ever  helped  and 
cheered  us  by  his  encouraging  words.  We  will  go 
forth  to  our  work  stronger  for  having  known  him. 
The  memory  of  his  cheerful,  hopeful  spirit  and 
untiring  energy  will  go  with  us  throughout  our  lives. 
We  see  him  no  more,  but  his  works  live  after  him. 

Rena  G.  Lassiter, 
Selma  C.  Webb, 
Martha  Petty, 

Committee. 


189 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVEB 


SOPHOMORE  CLASS  OF  STATE  NORMAL  COLLEGE 

We,  the  members  of  the  Class  of  1909,  desire  to 
express  our  love  and  esteem  for  the  late  President  of 
our  College,  Dr.  Melver.  Our  class  fully  appreciates 
the  privilege  of  knowing  so  noble  a  character. 
Although  we  knew  him  but  a  short  time,  we  deeply 
deplore  the  loss  of  one  who  so  unselfishly  gave  his 
life  for  the  benefit  of  others.  He  was  an  inspiration 
to  us  in  the  beginning  of  our  college  life ;  his  mem- 
ory encourages  us  to  do  our  part  of  the  great  work 

that  he  loved.  „  t 

Florence  Landis, 

Eunice  Roberts, 

Maud  Rogers, 

Committee. 

HENDERSON  GRADED  SCHOOLS  AND  CITIZENS 
Press  Correspondence 

Henderson,  N.  C,  Sept.  20. — At  a  meeting  of  citi- 
zens, graded  school  teachers  and  former  pupils  of  the 
State  Normal  College  the  following  resolutions  were 
adopted : 

' '  The  entire  State  of  North  Carolina  mourns  today. 
She  has  lost  her  first  citizen  and  her  most  useful  one. 
From  mountain  to  coastline  there  is  sorrow  at  the 
passing  of  Charles  Duncan  McIver,  for  his  influence 
was  felt  and  his  benefaction  extended  throughout 
the  length  of  the  State.  The  teachers  of  the  Henderson 
Graded  Schools  desire  to  express  their  feeling  of  obli- 
gation to  Dr.  McIver  and  their  deep  sense  of  personal 
loss  in  his  death. 

190 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVEB 


Tu  him  all   good   qualities  seemed  united — 
'To  give  the  world  assurance  of  a  man.' 

"As  an  educator  who  was  doing  more  for  the  youth 
of  the  commonwealth  than  any  other,  a  public-spirited 
citizen  deeply  interested  in  all  that  touched  his  State, 
and  a  Christian  gentleman  of  unquestioned  loyalty 
to  all  truth  and  duty,  his  death  means  an  irreparable 
loss  to  North  Carolina.  We  do  not  know  how  we  shall 
get  along  without  him. 

"Another  may  assume  his  duties,  but  no  man  can 
take  the  place  of  Charles  Duncan  Mclver  with  a  host 
of  friends  who  loved  and  admired  the  man,  or  with  the 
great  throng  of  young  men  and  women  of  North 
Carolina  who  have  been  stirred  by  his  example  and 
teaching  to  a  deeper  intellectual  activity,  and  have 
learned  at  his  feet  the  beauty  and  power  of  the 
life  of  service.  'Know  ye  not  that  a  prince  and  a 
great  man  hath  fallen  in  Israel  today  ? '  " 

FOEMEE  STUDENTS  OF  HICKOEY 

When  the  news  of  the  death  of  Dr.  Charles  D. 
Mclver  reached  Hickory  it  caused  great  sorrow  among 
the  residents  of  this  place  who  remembered  him  as 
having  helped  to  organize  the  graded  school  here. 
But  the  sorrow  was  greatest  in  the  hearts  of  those 
who  have  been  students  of  the  State  Normal  College, 
who  knew  him  as  a  great  educator  and  Christian 
man,  who  learned  to  love  him  as  a  personal  friend. 
We  wish  to  place  on  record  our  appreciation  of  this 
man  who  devoted  his  life  to  the  upbuilding  of  the 

191 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVEB 


womanhood  of  the  State.  While  others  admire  him 
as  a  public  man,  we  wish  to  pay  tribute  to  those 
traits  of  character  that  won  the  love  of  every  girl 
who  knew  him  not  only  as  President  of  the  College, 
but  as  a  friend  when  a  friend  was  most  needed.  In 
our  pain  over  the  loss  of  our  friend  we  would  not  forget 
his  loved  ones  who  no  longer  see  him  in  his  place  in 
the  home. 

He  has  passed  over  the  river  to  rest,  but  in  our  hearts 
he  will  always  be  loved  and  remembered. 

KocHE  MiCHAux,  Mrs.  E.  B.  Cline, 

Mamie  Dixon,  Katherine  C.  Baker, 

KosA  Lee  Dixon,  Lee  Lentz, 

Louise  Dixon,  Carrie  Powell, 

Kate  Finley,  Estelle  Davis, 

JosiE  DouB,  Marie  Brooks. 

STATE    PRIMARY    TEACHERS'    ASSOCIATION 

As  ours  is  the  first  formal  assembly  of  North  Caro- 
lina teachei*s  since  the  event  of  the  death  of  our  teacher 
leader,  Dr.  Charles  D.  Mclver,  we  desire  to  pay  our 
tribute  of  love  and  respect  to  his  memory,  and  to  put 
ourselves  on  record  as  deeply  appreciative  of  his  ever- 
abiding  interest  in,  and  loyal  support  of,  every  move- 
ment that  pertained  to  the  uplift  and  forward  prog- 
ress of  education.  He  knew  no  primary,  interme- 
diate, or  secondary  in  his  thought  of  education,  but, 
viewing  it  from  the  hilltop,  education  in  its  fullest 
sense  was,   as  it  were,   his  "ruling  passion."     His 

192 


CHARLES   DUNCAN    McIVEB 


life  work  was  to  further  educational  activity  along 
all  lines.  Truly,  he  was  an  "educational  statesman," 
as  Dr.  Lyman  Abbott  so  aptly  styled  him. 

His  was  to  project  great  schemes,  to  dare  great 
deeds ;  and  Ms  the  joy  to  perfect  many  of  his  schemes 
and  to  perform  many  of  the  great  deeds  which  his 
big  brain  conceived.  "By  their  fruits  ye  shall  know 
them." 

We,  as  teachers,  honor  him  first  of  all  for  that  he 
was  a  true  teacher.  He  knew  and  battled  with  the 
same  difficulties  that  confront  us  every  day.  But 
more  than  that,  we  honor  him  for  the  great  work  of 
emancipation  which  he  wrought  for  us,  as  teachers, 
in  the  realization  of  his  dream  of  providing  better 
opportunities  for  our  training  for  more  effective  ser- 
vice. To  his  "genius  of  inspiration"  is  due  in  large 
measure  the  wonderful,  quickening  uplift  and  out- 
look along  all  lines  of  educational  thought  and  awaken- 
ing in  the  "Old  North  State." 

We  shall  miss  his  genial  spirit  of  buoyancy  and 
optimism.  But,  as  teachers,  we  might  well  pray  the 
prayer  of  Elisha,  "Let,  I  pray  thee,  a  double  portion 
of  thy  spirit  be  upon  me."  Truly  we  shall  not  "look 
vipon  his  like  again." 

"His  life  was  gentle,  and  the  elements 
So  mixed  in  him  that  Nature  might  stand  up 
And  say  to  all  the  world,  '  This  was  a  man. '  ' ' 


Nettie  M.  Allen, 
Tola  V.  Exum, 

Committee. 
193 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVEB 


DIALECTIC  SOCIETY  OF  THE  UNIVERSITY  OF  NORTH 
CAROLINA 

The  Dialectic  Society  of  the  University  of  North 
Carolina  adopted  resolutions  of  respect  to  the  late 
Dr.  Charles  D.  Mclver  as  follows : 

"Whereas,  God  in  his  infinite  wisdom  has  seen  fit 
to  call  from  earth  Dr.  Charles  D.  Mclver,  who  was  a 
loyal  and  useful  son  of  the  University  and  a  faithful 
member  of  the  Dialectic  Society,  therefore, 

"Resolved,  first.  That  in  the  death  of  Dr.  Mclver 
the  University  has  lost  a  most  able  alumnus  whose 
untiring  energy  has  wrought  a  lasting  influence  for 
the  State,  and  that  the  Dialectic  Literary  Society  has 
lost  a  member  who  was  a  warm-hearted  friend  and  a 
man  of  wisdom  and  power. 

"Resolved,  second.  That  we  hereby  extend  the 
bereaved  family  our  deepest  sympathy,  and  that  a 
copy  of  these  resolutions  be  published  in  The  Tar  Heel 
and  in  the  daily  papers  of  Greensboro. ' ' 

T.  D.  Sharp, 
P.  M.  Williams, 
C.  C.  Barnheart, 

Committee. 

GREENSBORO  CHAMBER  OF  COMMERCE 

The  Chamber  of  Commerce  of  the  city  of  Greens- 
boro, at  the  first  meeting  of  the  executive  committee 
since  the  great  calamity  of  Dr.  Charles  D.  Mclver 's 
death,  which  befell  the  State,  the  cause  of  education, 

194 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVEB 


the  city  of  Greensboro,  the  various  organizations  with 
which  he  was  connected,  and  his  personal  friends, 
desiring  to  give  formal  expression  of  the  members  of 
the  Chamber  of  Commerce,  of  their  sense  of  loss  and 
bereavement  in  his  death,  adopt  the  following  resolu- 
tions : 

First,  that  Dr.  Charles  D.  Mclver  was  one  of  the 
foremost  citizens  of  our  city,  and  none  surpassed  him 
in  loyalty  to  her  interests,  in  persistent,  enthusiastic, 
and  intelligent  service  for  h^r  educational,  religious 
and  industrial  progress. 

Second,  that  each  member  of  the  Chamber  of  Com- 
merce appreciated  his  willingness  at  all  times  to  attend 
the  meetings  of  members  of  the  Chamber  of  Commerce 
and  Board  of  Directors,  and  his  ability  in  devising 
means  whereby  the  usefulness  of  the  Chamber  of  Com- 
merce could  be  increased,  and  his  unselfish  sacrifices  in 
aiding  in  the  execution  of  all  means  looking  to  this  end. 

Third,  that  we  should,  as  a  tribute  to  his  memory, 
with  rencAved  energy,  carry  on  the  work  that  he  was 
doing  as  a  member  of  the  Chamber  of  Commerce. 

Fourth,  that  a  copy  of  these  resolutions  be  spread 
upon  the  minutes  of  the  Chamber  of  Commerce,  and 
that  a  copy  be  sent  to  Mrs.  Mclver. 

MASONIC  LODGE,  WINSTON 

At  a  regular  communication  of  Winston  Lodge  No. 
167,  A.  F.  and  A.  M.,  held  Monday,  October  8th,  1906, 
the  following  resolutions  of  respect  were  unanimously 
adopted : 

195 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVEB 


"Whereas,  It  has  pleased  the  great  Ruler  of  the  uni- 
verse in  His  wisdom  to  take  from  our  midst  our 
esteemed  and  valued  brother,  Dr  Charles  D.  Mclver, 
and  to  mercifully  transfer  him,  as  we  reverently 
believe,  to  the  Grand  Lodge  above,  therefore,  be  it 
resolved, 

"That  this,  Winston  Lodge  of  Ancient,  Free  and 
Accepted  Masons,  deeply  deplores  the  sad  loss  of  a  most 
zealous,  worthy,  faithful  and  useful  brother,  devoted 
to  the  interests  of  humanity,  the  upbuilding  of  society 
and  the  development  of  the  best  and  highest  citizen- 
ship: 

"That  the  State  of  North  Carolina  has  lost  a 
great  educational  leader,  a  noble  citizen,  and  a  devoted 
patriot : 

"That  our  tenderest  sympathy  and  warmest 
regard  be  extended  to  the  honored  wife  and  children 
of  our  departed  brother,  with  the  assurance  that  we 
shall  ever  take  the  deepest  interest  in  their  future 
welfare  and  in  their  success : 

"That  a  copy  of  these  resolutions  be  forwarded 
to  the  family  of  the  deceased,  and  that  they  be 
inscribed  upon  a  page  of  our  minutes  dedicated  to  his 
memory. ' ' 

j.  k.  norpleet, 
Wm.  a.  Blair, 
Leon  Cash, 

Committee. 


196 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVEB 


AGRICULTURAL    AND    MECHANICAL    COLLEGE    FOR 
THE   COLORED   RACE 

Be  it  resolved,  by  the  teachers  and  students  of  the 
A  &  M.  College  for  the  Colored  Race,  that  we  take 
this  opportunity  of  expressing  our  feelings  of  deep 
regret  at  the  untimely  death  of  Dr.  Charles  D.  Mclver : 
First,  because  he  was  a  champion  of  universal 
education  and  the  foremost  man  in  the  State  to  teach 
and  disseminate  its  principles. 

Second,  we  deplore  his  sudden  departure  because 
we  believe  he  was  a  man  of  broad,  patriotic  and 
sympathetic  impulse,  and  though  it  was  but  natural 
for  him  to  be  first  interested  in  the  educational  uplift 
of  his  own  people,  yet  we  learn  from  those  who 
were  in  close  contact  with  him  that  he  earnestly  and 
unselfishly,  in  public  and  in  private,  by  voice  and 
pen,  rendered  valuable  aid  in  stemming  the  tide  of 
opposition  to  the  education  of  our  race. 

For  the  service  we  are  grateful,  and  at  the  same  time 
we  extend  our  sincere  sympathy  to  those  who  were 
near  and  dear  to  him  in  life  and  now  so  deeply 
mourn  him  in  death. 

Chas.  H.  Moore, 
J.  H.  Bluford, 
Chas.  W.  Pierce, 
J.  C.  Truman, 
J.  H.  Smith, 
B.  W.  Barnes, 
J.  T.  Merrick. 


197 


CHARLES   DUNCAN    McIVEK 


ADOPTED  BY  THE  CONFEEENCE  FOR  EDUCATION 
IN  THE  SOUTH,  PINEHURST,  N.  C. 

A  native  of  the  South,  endowed  with  the  virtues 
of  a  Scotch  ancestry,  schooled  by  the  adversity  that 
follows  war,  he  early  developed  those  traits  of  charac- 
ter which  made  him  a  leader  of  men.  He  loved  his 
friends,  and  they  in  turn  were  devoted  to  him.  His 
innate  sense  of  justice,  (juickened  by  instinctive  sym- 
pathy, impelled  him  to  champion  the  cause  of  the 
oppressed  and  unfortunate.  To  him  ignorance  was 
slavery,  and  to  the  call  of  children  for  freedom  through 
education  he  responded  by  unreservedly  offering  the 
full  measure  of  his  manhood.  His  first  vote  was  cast 
for  local  tax  for  public  schools,  and  his  life  long  he 
adhered  to  the  doctrine  that  liberal  taxation,  fairly 
levied  and  properly  applied,  is  the  chief  mark  of  a 
civilized  people.  He  knew  well  the  power  of  personal 
influence  and  understood  as  few  do  the  full  signifi- 
cance of  the  office  of  teacher.  Chivalrous  in  his 
respect  for  womanhood,  convinced  that  "No  State 
which  will  once  educate  its  mothers  need  have  any 
fear  about  future  illiteracy,"  his  first  great  public 
service  was  the  creation  of  a  college  for  the  training 
of  teachers  and  the  higher  education  of  women,  an 
enduring  monument,  erected  at  public  expense  and 
consecrated  by  his  devotion  to  the  public  service  of 
his  native  State.  So  efficient  was  his  work  in  North 
Carolina  that  other  States  eagerly  sought  his  assist- 
ance.    And  every  appeal  for  help,  whether  from  his 


198 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVEE 


own  beloved  South,  or  from  ^he  North  or  from  the 
West,  was  answered  to  the  limit  of  his  strength.  He 
had  the  genius  of  friendliness  that  made  him  at  home 
with  those  of  every  class  and  in  every  section.  Wher- 
ever he  went  his  enthusiasm  was  contagious,  and  the 
good  he  did  no  man  can  estimate.  What  his  leader- 
ship has  meant  to  this  Conference  we  are  beginning 
to  know  and  appreciate.  He  brought  to  us  the  sun- 
shine of  his  hope ;  he  stimulated  us  with  abundant 
good  cheer ;  he  guided  us  with  infinite  common  sense ; 
he  inspired  us  with  patriotic  fervor ;  he  enlisted  us 
permanently  in  the  cause  to  which  he  gave  his  life; 
and  he  made  of  every  one  of  us  a  friend  who  loved 
him  —  and  we  love  him  still. 

This  tribute  we  pay  to  his  memory,  and  in  bringing 
it  we  acknowledge  publicly  the  debt  we  owe  to  a  life 
that  has  been  to  us  all  a  blessed  benediction. 

COMMITTEE  ON  PASTOEATE  OF  THE  FIEST  PRESBY- 
TERIAN    CHURCH,   GREENSBORO 

Charles  Duncan  Mclver  on  the  17th  day  of  Septem- 
ber, 1906,  received  his  last  summons  and  entered  into 
his  eternal  rest.  His  call  came  to  him  without  notice, 
with  no  warning,  and  we  must  believe  that  when  the 
swift  hand  of  death  was  laid  upon  him  he  shrank 
not  from  the  touch,  but  met  it  with  the  courage  of  a 
fearless  man,  for  he  was  brave.  He  had  lived  a  brave, 
fearless  life.  All  his  life  long  he  had  been  meeting 
duty  and  difficulty  with  the  courage  of  a  true  man, 

199 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVER 


and  hence  we  know  that  death  had  no  terrors  for  him. 

He  brought  to  the  discharge  of  the  difficult  and 
delicate  duty  that  has  been  imposed  upon  the  Pastorate 
Committee  of  the  First  Presbyterian  Church  of 
Greensboro,  N.  C,  the  same  earnestness  and  enthusi- 
asm and  optimism  and  discrimination  which  he 
brought  to  all  the  larger  tasks  which  he  ever  under- 
took. His  service  as  a  member  of  this  committee 
showed  that  there  was  no  interest  nearer  and  dearer 
to  him  than  his  church,  and  that  he  regarded  the 
church  with  the  same  broad  sweep  of  vision  as  those 
other  prominent  factors  of  the  life  of  the  world  as  he 
saw  it  which  stood  out  within  the  range  of  his  heroism. 
He  looked  for  a  preacher  who  would  be  the  leader 
in  the  life  and  thought  and  work  of  the  community, 
and  he  cherished  the  same  broad  and  high  ideal  for 
his  church.  He  had  dedicated  his  life  to  the  great 
cause  of  education ;  he  was  foremost  in  every  move- 
ment for  the  advancement  of  the  best  interests  of 
the  community ;  but  underlying  all  his  great  hopes  for 
the  world  and  mankind  was  his  fundamental  faith 
in  the  church  of  the  Living  God  as  the  basis  of  all 
thought  and  life  and  progress  in  the  world.  This 
we  believe  was  his  large  view  of  the  church  which  he 
loved  so  well  and  tried  to  serve  faithfully. 

We,  the  members  of  the  Pastorate  Committee,  will 
miss  his  genial  converse,  his  hopefulness,  his  help- 
fulness, his  friendship.  His  place  among  us  cannot 
be  supplied.  There  is  not  another  like  him.  As  we 
pursue  the  unfinished  work  that  is  before  us,  we  will 

200 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVEB 


endeavor  to  carry  it  out  in  that  hopeful  spirit  and 
in  that  large  view  of  it  which  our  dead  friend  and 
co-worker  gave  to  it. 

It  is  our  wish  that  this  memorial  of  appreciation 
and  affection  be  spread  upon  the  record  of  the  minutes 
of  this  committee  and  that  a  copy  be  transmitted  to 
Mrs.  Mclver  in  testimony  of  our  cordial  sympathy. 

G.  W.  Denny,  A.  M.  Scales, 

J.  M.  Hendrix,  Z.  V.  Taylor, 

J.  W.  Fry,  a.  W.  McAlister. 
W.  E.  Allen, 

GUILFOED    CHAPTEE    DAUGHTEES    OF    THE 
CONFEDEEACY 

Whereas,  In  the  providence  of  God  we  have  been 
called  to  mourn  the  sudden  death  of  the  honored 
President  of  the  State  Normal  and  Industrial  College, 
Dr.  Charles  D.  Mclver,  we  would  place  on  record 
our  appreciation  of  his  labors  for  education  and  for 
the  uplifting  of  the  women  of  North  Carolina.  Those 
who  knew  him  best  loved  him  most.  A  man  of  strong 
convictions  and  tender  impulses,  he  did  not  hesitate 
to  jeopardize  his  own  interests  for  what  he  felt  was 
right  and  ought  to  be  said  and  done.  To  have 
known  him  was  to  receive  an  inspiration  to  a  nobler 
life.  Faithful  in  every  duty,  his  memory  will  remain 
a  precious  heritage. 

While  we  are  bowed  with  grief  over  his  sudden 
passing  away,  in  all  the  strength  of  his  manhood, 

201 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVER 


we  sorrow  not  as  those  who  have  no  hope.  He  has 
heard  the  call,  "Well  done,  good  and  faithful  ser- 
vant, enter  thou  into  the  joy  of  the  Lord."  To  the 
bereaved  family  we  extend  our  sincere  sympathy. 

Resolved,  That  these  resolutions  be  incorporated 
in  our  minutes,  a  copy  be  sent  the  family  and  pub- 
lished in  our  daily  papers. 

Miss  Meta  E.  Beall,        Mrs.  A.  J.  Faeiss, 

Mrs.  J.  N.  Staples,  Mrs.  J.  G.  Brodnax,  Sr., 

Mrs.  R.  F.  Dalton,  Miss  C.  J.  Gorrell. 

EXECUTIVE   COMMITTEE    OF   NOETH    CAROLINA 
LIBRARY   ASSOCIATION 

The  Executive  Committee  of  the  North  Carolina 
Library  Association  held  a  meeting  in  the  Greensboro 
Public  Library  November  19th.  It  was  their  desire, 
in  memory  of  Dr.  Charles  D.  Mclver,  late  vice-presi- 
dent of  the  Association,  to  express  their  appreciation 
of  his  enthusiastic  support  of  their  work  and  his 
recognition  of  its  educational  value  in  the  upbuilding 
of  the  State.  His  service,  as  vice-president,  was  of 
great  value  to  the  Association,  and  in  recognition 
thereof  the  Executive  Committee  has  spread  upon  its 
minutes  an  expression  of  their  appreciation  of  his 
hearty  co-operation  in  all  their  efforts. 

J.  Frank  Wilkes,  Secretary. 


203 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVER 


GREENSBORO  PUBLIC  LIBRARY 

Whereas,  The  late  Dr.  Charles  D.  Melver  was  one 
of  the  chief  factors  in  the  establishment  of  the  Free 
Circulating  Library  of  Greensboro  and  gave  it  his 
warmest  sympathy  and  strongest  support  through 
all  its  eventful  past,  therefore, 

Resolved,  That  in  the  death  of  Dr.  McIver  the 
Library  has  sustained  an  irreparable  loss  and  the 
members  of  the  Board  are  bereft  of  a  personal  friend 
and  a  wise  and  faithful  counsellor; 

Resolved,  That  we  hereby  extend  to  the  bereaved 
family  our  deepest  sympathy,  and  that  a  copy  of  these 
resolutions  be  sent  to  Mrs.  McIver  and  to  the  daily 
papers  of  the  city. 

L.  W.  Crawford,  Chairman, 
G.  A.  Grimsley. 

DAUGHTERS  OF  AMERICAN  REVOLUTION,   WAYNES- 
VILLE  CHAPTER 

Having  heard  with  deepest  sorrow  of  the  death 
of  Dr.  Charles  D.  McIver,  President  of  the  State 
Normal  and  Industrial  College,  we,  the  members  of 
the  Dorcas  Bell  Love  Chapter,  Daughters  of  the 
American  Revolution,  desiring  to  attest  the  admira- 
tion and  loving  esteem  in  which  we  hold  his  memory, 
offer  the  following  tribute  of  respect : 

We  feel  that  in  the  death  of  Dr.  McIver  education, 
which  is  one  of  the  chief  aims  of  our  society,  has 
suffered  an  irreparable  loss,  our  State  has  lost  one 

203 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVER 


of  her  most  distinguished  sons,  and  our  Chapter  a 
friend.  With  all  the  women  of  the  State,  we  shall 
cherish  his  memory  as  one  who  has  done  more  for 
our  advancement  and  enlightenment  than  any  other, 
and  although  we  mourn  his  sudden  call  into  the  Great 
Beyond,  his  name  will  live  and  his  unselfish  and 
beautiful  character  will  prove  an  inspiration  to 
generations  yet  unborn. 

We  extend  our  deep  and  heartfelt  sympathy  to  the 
bereaved  family,  realizing  keenly  their  great  loss,  and 
we  commend  them  to  our  Heavenly  Father  who  is 
too  wise  to  err  and  too  merciful  to  be  unkind. 

Ruth  Bennetts  Baker, 

Mary  Love  Stringfield  Wulborn, 

Annie  Gudger  Quinlan. 

BUNCOMBE    COUNTY   ALUMNA    ASSOCIATION 

The  mortal  life  of  our  beloved  President,  Dr.  Charles 
Duncan  Mclver,  is  ended.  We,  the  Buncombe  County 
daughters  of  the  State  Normal  and  Industrial  College, 
wish  to  express  to  the  bereaved  family,  the  faculty, 
and  the  student  body  our  deepest  sympathy.  In 
his  death  we  each  have  lost  a  personal  friend  and 
benefactor,  but  his  enthusiasm  and  high  ideals  of  life 
will  ever  remain  a  fragrant  memory  and  inspiration 
to  us. 

Therefore,  be  it  resolved: 

That  we  bow  in  submission  to  the  will  of  Him 
who  doeth  all  things  well; 

204 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVER 


That  in  the  death  of  Dr.  Mclver  the  South 
has  lost  one  of  her  noblest  and  most  useful  men  and 
the  womanhood  of  North  Carolina  her  Chief  in  the 
cause  of  education ; 

That  a  copy  of  these  resolutions  be  sent  to  the 
family,  the  faculty,  and  that  a  copy  be  spread  upon 
the  minutes  of  our  Buncombe  County  Association 
of  Normal  Students. 

Birdie  Bell  Reynolds, 
Sarah  Frances  Suttle, 
Elizabeth  Frances  Bernard, 
Anna  Folsom  Fisher. 

THE  WOMAN'S   CLUB  OF  GOLDSBORO 

Whereas,  The  work  of  the  late  Dr.  Charles  D. 
Mclver,  President  of  the  State  Normal  and  Industrial 
College,  was  for  the  purpose  of  affording  greater 
opportunities  for  the  education  of  the  women  of 
North  Carolina;  and,  recognizing  the  great  service  he 
has  rendered  the  women  of  the  State  by  his  untiring 
efforts  in  educating  the  citizenship  of  North  Carolina 
to  the  belief  that  the  elevation  of  womanhood  means 
the  elevation  of  the  race;  and. 

Whereas,  It  was  his  life  work  to  establish  an  insti- 
tution which  young  women  of  small  means  might 
attend  and  from  which  they  might  derive  equal  ben- 
efit with  those  of  larger  means ;  and, 

Whereas,  The  citizens  of  North  Carolina  have 
expressed    a   very    fitting   desire   to   erect   a    bronze 

205 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVER 


statue  to  his  memory  —  a  tribute  that  should  receive 
all  encouragement  possible  from  every  citizen  of 
North  Carolina;  and, 

Whereas,  The  womanhood  of  North  Carolina,  for 
whom  he  labored  so  unceasingly,  desire  to  carry  out 
his  purpose  to  offer  better  opportunity  of  education 
to  those  in  moderate  circumstances ; 

Be  it  resolved,  That  the  women  of  North  Carolina 
recommend,  as  their  special  tribute  to  his  memory, 
the  establishment  of  a  loan  fund  of  sufficient  amount 
to  be  of  service  to  a  large  number  of  deserving  young 
women  who  would  be  unable  to  attend  this  institu- 
tion without  the  aid  of  such  a  fund. 

JUNIOE  ORDER  GREENSBORO  COUNCIL 

Another  one  of  our  brothers,  Dr.  Charles  D. 
Mclver,  having  filled  out  the  measure  of  his  days, 
has  suddenly  fallen  and  been  taken  in  the  wisdom  of 
our  Father  in  heaven  to  that  better  country,  of  which 
we  know  by  revelation  and  faith. 

We  desire  to  place  on  record  and  give  our  expres- 
sion to  the  feelings  that  fill  our  minds  and  hearts; 
therefore,  be  it  resolved : 

That  in  the  death  of  Brother  CD.  Mclver,  Greens- 
boro and  the  State  loses  one  of  its  most  useful  citizens ; 
that  to  Greensboro  Council  No.  13,  Jr.  0.  U.  A.  M., 
especially  does  his  sudden  and  unexpected  death  come 
as  a  great  and  painful  loss;  alert  and  active  in  the 


206 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVER 


educational  cause,  guarding  well  and  faithfully  every 
principle  of  the  order,  showing  himself  as  cast  in  that 
heroic  mould  which  enabled  him  to  obey  that  injunc- 
tion of  the  great  apostle,  Look  not  every  man  on  his 
own  things,  but  every  man  also  on  the  things  of  others ; 

That,  as  an  educator,  brother,  husband  and 
father,  he  was  faithful  and  true;  that  in  the  good 
name  he  achieved  and  builded  he  has  bequeathed  to 
his  family  and  country  and  friends  a  legacy  more 
precious  than  gold,  and  erected  a  monument  more 
lasting  than  brass ; 

That  we  tender  to  his  family  our  deepest  sym- 
pathy, and  assure  them  that  we  weep  with  them, 
share  their  woe,  and  would  place  our  shoulder  under 
their  great  burden ; 

That  a  copy  of  these  resolutions  be  forwarded 
to  the  family,  and  that  they  be  spread  on  the  minutes. 

W.  F.  Clarida, 
^  A.  A.  Chandler, 

J.  F.  Aiken. 

WILSON    COUNTY    ALUMNA 

Whereas,  Dr.  Charles  Duncan  Mclver  has  been  an 
invaluable  friend  to  the  young  women  of  North  Caro- 
lina and  ever  exerted  his  splendid  influence  in  their 
behalf ; 

Whereas,  He  has  been  the  founder  and  soul  of  the 
State  Normal  and  Industrial  College  of  North  Caro- 


207 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVER 


lina,  and  through  this  Institution  has  uplifted  woiftan- 
kind  in  North  Carolina ;  resolved : 

First,  That  the  former  students  of  the  State 
Normal  and  Industrial  College  from  Wilson  County- 
desire  to  express  their  deep  love  for  Dr.  Mclver  and 
their  undying  appreciation  of  the  ever  kindly  and 
fatherly  interest  he  evinced  toward  them ; 

Second,  That  each  former  student  from  Wilson 
County  feels  a  keen  sense  of  loss  in  his  death ; 

Third,  That  we  desire  to  express  our  sincere  sym- 
pathy for  his  family  in  their  loss; 

Fourth,  That  a  copy  of  these  resolutions  be  sent 
to  Mrs..  Mclver;  also  a  copy  to  the  State  Normal 
Magazine  and  the  Wilson  Times  for  publication. 

Daphne  K.  Carraway, 
Catherine  E.  Pace, 
Rosa  E.  Wells, 
Bertha  R.  Sugg, 

Committee. 

MAXTON  GRADED  SCHOOLS 

Whereas,  It  has  pleased  an  allwise  God  to  release 
from  his  earthly  toils  Dr.  Charles  Duncan  Mclver, 
who  labored  so  faithfully  in  the  educational  work  of 
his  State,  the  School  Board  of  Maxton,  in  their  regular 
meeting,  desire  to  place  on  record  their  appreciation 
of  his  great  service  to  humanity,  in  general,  and  to 
this  Board,  in  particular,  in  that  he  helped  to  organ- 
ize the  work  of  this  school. 

208 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVER 


Therefore,  be  it  resolved: 

That  we  commend  to  the  young  men  of  his 
day  and  generation  the  life  of  this  peerless  educa- 
tional statesman  who  accomplished  so  much  by  his 
untiring  effort  and  indomitable  will  in  so  short  a 
life; 

That  we  heartily  endorse  any  movement  that  may 
be  set  on  foot  to  preserve  his  memory ; 

That  a  copy  of  these  resolutions  be  sent  to 
the  bereaved  family  of  the  deceased;  that  a  copy  be 
spread  on  the  permanent  records  of  this  Board;  that 
a  copy  be  sent  to  the  Board  of  the  noble  Institution 
that  he  founded;  that  a  copy  be  sent  to  the  Scottish 
Chief  and  to  the  State  press. 

R.  M.  Williams,  Chairman, 
J.  B.  Weatherly,  Secretary. 

MANNDALE    INSTITUTE 

Resolved,  by  the  pupils  of  Manndale  Institute: 
That  we  hereby  desire  to  give  expression  to  the  real 
loss  we  feel  in  the  death  of  Dr.  Charles  D.  Mclver. 
We  regard  him  as  the  foremost  educator  of  our  State. 
His  broad  culture,  his  love  of  his  native  State,  his 
never-tiring  energy  and  his  genuine  warm  heart,  were 
all  used  effectively  in  giving  inspiration  to  public 
school  work,  the  higher  education  of  women  and  a 
general  impetus  to  the  uplift  of  mankind  in  our 
State  and  Nation. 

We  shall  miss  him  in  his  matchless  personality,  but 

209 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVER 


his  work  will  still  live  in  the  hearts  and  lives  of 
thousands  of  North  Carolinians  who  have  felt  the 
touch  of  his  magnetic  inspiration. 

John  S.  Thomas,         Belva  Cheek, 
R.  D.  Walters,  Fannie  Dark, 

G.  E.  Moore,  Sadie  Harward. 

Mcdowell  county  boaed  of  education 

We  realize  that,  in  his  life,  Dr.  Charles  D.  Mclver 
demonstrated  the  value  of  his  personal  worth  in 
the  administration  of  the  greatest  earthly  affair.  He 
had  become  the  State's  idol  and  one  of  the  Nation's 
greatest  men.  North  Carolina  loved  him  as  one  of 
her  noblest  sons;  the  South  watched  with  pride  the 
great  work  he  was  doing,  and  the  Nation  beckoned 
him  on  to  yet  greater  things. 

The  most  marked  instance  of  his  power  and  genuine 
character  are  in  the  immeasurably  great  results  of 
his  life  work.  He  it  was  who  started  the  great 
educational  awakening  in  North  Carolina  that  is  felt 
throughout  the  State  today.  He  it  was  who,  in  Febru- 
ary, 1902,  was  instrumental  in  calling  together  a  niuii- 
ber  of  the  State's  leading  men  and  formally  issued 
a  declaration  against  illiteracy  and  began  the  cam- 
paign which  has  resulted  in  placing  North  Carolina 
Vv^ell  in  the  front  of  Southern  educational  progress. 
Truly  a  great  man  has  gone  from  us,  but  he  left  us 
a  choice  legacy  in  his  Christian  example,  in  his  incor- 
ruptible integrity,  in  his  public  deeds,  and  in  his 
private  life. 

210 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVER 


May  the  memory  of  him  we  mourn  be  an  inspira- 
tion to  us  and  to  others  to  press  forward  under  new 
leaders  to  new  achievements  and  to  a  higher  develop- 
ment of  the  great  work  which  he  has  begun. 

Resolved,  That  a  copy  of  this  tribute  be  sent  to 
the  stricken  wife  and  family  and  to  the  State  and 
County  papers  for  publication. 

D.  E.   HUDGINS, 

J.  L.  Padgett, 
AV.  E.  Brown, 
D.  F.  Giles. 

TEYON    SCHOOL 
Press  Correspondence 

When  the  sad  news  of  the  death  of  Dr.  Charles  D. 
Mclver,  President  of  the  State  Normal  and  Industrial 
College,  reached  the  school.  Superintendent  Branon 
called  the  students  and  teachers  together,  and  after 
reading  an  account  of  the  sudden  death  of  Dr.  Mclver 
and  explaining  his  place  in  the  educational  progress  of 
North  Carolina  and  the  South,  the  following  resolu- 
tions were  adopted: 

Whereas,  We  as  a  school  body,  feel  that  in  the  death 
of  the  late  Dr.  Charles  D.  Mclver,  President  of  the 
State  Normal  and  Industrial  College,  we  have  lost 
one  of  the  strongest  factors  in  the  educational  prog- 
ress of  the  South ;  and, 

Whereas,  He  was  a  friend  to  the  several  institu- 
tions of  learning  throughout  the  State,  and  especially 
the  public  schools ;  and, 

211 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVEB 


Whereas,  He  loved  with  a  special  interest  the 
boys  and  girls  in  the  many  schools ; 

Therefore,  be  it  resolved,  That  we,  the  students 
and  teachers  of  Tryon  Graded  School,  deeply  mourn 
our  great  loss,  and  that  of  the  State  Normal  and 
Industrial  College,  and  the  entire  South. 

NOETH  CAEOLINA  CHILDEEN  'S  HOME  SOCIETY 

At  a  special  meeting  of  the  Board  of  Directors  of 
the  North  Carolina  Children's  Home  Society  the 
following  resolutions  were  unanimously  adopted : 

Whereas,  It  has  pleased  the  Almighty  Father  to 
call  to  Himself  Dr.  Charles  Duncan  Mclver,  an 
honored  citizen,  a  Christian  gentleman,  and  a  much 
beloved  member  of  the  Board  of  Directors  of  the 
North  Carolina  Children's  Home  Society,  be  it 

Resolved  by  said  Board  of  Directors  in  special  ses- 
sion assembled : 

First,  That  in  the  death  of  Dr.  Mclver  the  cause 
of  needy  childhood  has  suffered  a  distinct  loss.  His 
charity  was  broad  and  extended  to  all  worthy  objects, 
but  his  interest  in  the  work  of  the  Children's  Home 
Society  was  intense,  the  cause  of  homeless  little  ones 
appealing  to  him  especially;  and  be  it 

Resolved,  second,  That  we  shall  sorely  miss  his 
enthusiasm,  his  wise  counsel,  and  his  cheery  presence 
in  our  meetings ;  and  be  it 

Resolved,  third,  That  our  sympathy  goes  out  to 
the  bereaved  family,  their  loss  being  as  a  personal 
one  to  each  of  us,  also ;  and  be  it 

212 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   MclVEB 


Resolved,  fourth,    That  these  resolutions  be  made 
a  part  of  the  permanent  record  of  the  Society;  that 
a  copy  of  the  same  be  forwarded  to  the  family,  and 
that  they  be  furnished  the  public  press. 
By  order  of  the  Board  of  Directors. 

W.  H.  OsBORN,  President, 
Wm.  B.  Steeeter,  Secretary. 


213 


PERSONAL  TRIBUTES 


J.  D.  MUEPHY,  MEMBER  OF  BOARD  OF  DIRECTORS 

Address  Delivered  at  the  Opening  of  the  College,  September  20,  1906 

Ladies  and  Gentlemen,  Faculty  and  Students  of  the 

State  Normal  and  Industrial  College: 

At  this  moment  and  in  this  presence  every  heart 
is  touched  and  saddened  because  we  sit  in  the  shadow 
of  a  great  grief  and  in  the  gloom  of  human  sorrow. 

Only  a  few  hours  since,  the  founder  and  father 
of  this  great  Institution  stood  among  us,  strong  in 
the  strength  of  a  vigorous  manhood,  bouyant  and  hope- 
ful in  the  prospect  of  a  long  life  of  usefulness  and 
helpfulness.  Today  all  that  is  mortal  of  your  late 
honored  President  lies  in  the  bosom  of  Mother  Earth 
—  dust  to  dust,  ashes  to 'ashes.  Truly  man's  life  is 
a  shadow  and  human  existence  mysterious  to  finite 
minds. 

At  the  request  of  the  Board  of  Directors  of  this 
Institution,  I  am  here  today  to  extend  to  the  faculty 
and  student  body  the  sympathy  of  the  Board,  officially 
and  personally,  and  to  express  to  you  our  tenderest 
sympathy  for  you  in  your  sorrow  and  our  high  appre- 
ciation of  the  worth  and  work  of  President  Mclver. 

For  me  this  is  a  labor  of  love  because  I  loved  him 
much.     Classmates  at  the  University  of  this  State,  we 

214 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVEB 


formed  there  a  friendship  Avhich  time  has  only  served 
to  cement,  and  our  subsequent  association  to 
strengthen.  Would  that  I  had  the  gift  of  a  Bossuet 
to  express  to  you  in  tender  and  eloquent  eulogium 
the  sentiments  which  I  today  feel  in  my  heart. 

At  an  epochal  moment  in  the  history  of  the  English 
people,  when  there  was  taking  place  in  the  English 
Parliament  the  great  debate  in  which  Edmund  Burke 
participated,  involving  the  treatment  and  policy  of 
the  English  nation  toward  the  American  Colonies, 
Mr.  Burke  arose  from  his  seat  and  humbly  and 
reverently  said,  before  entering  upon  that  great  debate, 
' '  Sursum  corda— Let  us  lift  up  our  hearts  to  Almighty 
God  and  ask  for  guidance  and  wisdom. ' ' 

When  the  Constitutional  Convention  met  at  Phila- 
delphia to  carve  the  greatest  piece  of  constitutional 
statuary  ever  chiseled  by  the  pen  of  man — the  Consti- 
tution of  the  United  States  —  Benjamin  Franklin 
arose  and  told  his  comrades  that  in  entering  upon  such 
momentous  and  important  duties  they  should  seek 
divine  guidance  and  wisdom,  saying  in  sub- 
stance :  ' '  Let  us  go  down  on  our  knees  before  God, 
who  giveth  wisdom  to  all  men  liberally  and  upbraideth 
not." 

In  this  epochal  moment  in  the  history  of  this  Insti- 
tution and  of  this  State,  let  us  be  guided  and  governed 
by  the  spirit  of  Burke  and  Franklin,  inspired  with 
Christian  hope  and  Christian  faith,  and,  on  our  knees, 
lift  up  our  hearts  and  ask  for  divine  guidance. 


215 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVEB 


In,  perhaps,  the  greatest  city  on  this  earth  there 
is  a  great  church — St.  Paul's  —  first  the  dream  and 
then  the  realization  of  Sir  Christopher  Wrenn,  the 
great  architect  and  builder  of  that  beautiful  temple. 
On  its  walls  there  is  a  Latin  inscription :  "Si  vis 
monumentum,  circum  spice" — "If  you  wish  a  monu- 
ment, look  around."  If  you  wish  to  see  a  monument 
of  Charles  D.  Mclver,  look  around  on  these  magnifi- 
cent buildings  and  these  beautiful  grounds.  But  he 
has  reared  another  monument  —  an  invisible  and 
intangible  monument,  more  lasting  than  pyramids  and 
more  perennial  than  bronze  statues  —  a  monument 
in  the  hearts  and  lives  and  sovils  of  the  people  of  a 
great  State. 

This  visible  monument  shall  live  and  shall  grow  to 
perpetuate  his  name  and  fame  because  its  founda- 
tions are  built  upon  the  hearts  of  the  womanhood  of 
North  Carolina. 

Today,  there  is  a  word  of  sorrow  on  every  lip  and 
a  tear  of  grief  in  every  eye.  But  in  the  presence  of 
this  dispensation  shall  we  be  discouraged?  The  great 
throbbing  heart  of  North  Carolina  answers  "no." 
Upon  the  foundation  which  he  builded  so  wisely  and 
so  well,  we  will  continue  to  work  and  labor  until  the 
dreams  and  visions  of  that  great  soul  become  actuali- 
ties in  this  great  educational  force  of  which  he  was 
the  founder. 

On  the  tomb  of  John  and  Charles  Wesley  there  is 
an  inscription:  "God  buries  His  workers,  but  con- 
tinues His  work."     The  work  of  the  great  lawgiver, 

216 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVER 


Moses,  was  continued  by  his  successor,  Joshua.  The 
mantle  of  Elijah  fell  upon  Elisha. 

While  we  know  that  it  will  be  difficult  to  find  one 
upon  whom  to  cast  the  mantle  of  your  late  President, 
I  have  a  supreme  and  abiding  faith  that  Jehovah  will 
point  out  the  man,  because  I  feel  that  the  very  hand 
of  God  is  in  this  great  work,  and  that  upon  this  Insti- 
tution, with  its  noble  ideals  and  lofty  purposes  and 
Christian  influences,  He  will  vouchsafe  His  benign 
benediction. 

We  deeply  deplore  the  fact  that  Dr.  Mclver  was 
taken  in  the  very  prime  of  life,  in  his  forty-sixth  year. 
But  ''Man  that  spake  as  never  man  spake" —  I  speak 
reverently  —  accomplished  His  mission  in  thirty-three 
years.  Was  there  ever  such  grief — was  there  ever  such 
apparent  failure  of  a  great  purpose  in  life,  as  there 
was  to  all  outward  appearances  on  Calvary's  Hill 
near  Jerusalem,  when  all  nature  shuddered  and 
shrouded  herself  in  darkness  at  the  sight  of  an  expir- 
ing God?  Today  millions  of  men  and  women  bow 
down  in  reverence  and  love  before  the  cross  which 
stood  on  that  day  for  failure  and  despondency. 

May  I  say  right  in  this  connection,  young  ladies, 
that  the  thing  which  most  distinguishes  the  Christian 
nations  and  peoples  from  the  other  peoples  of  the 
earth  is  their  love  and  reverence  for  woman?  Your 
distinguished  President  devoted  his  energies,  his 
efforts,  his  life  to  this  Christian  ideal,  and  the  heart 
of  every  woman  in  North  Carolina  is  today  touched 
with  grief  because,  in  yonder  grave,  lies  their  greatest 

217 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVEB 


defender,  their  life-long  advocate,  their  helper  and 
friend.  ' '  Greater  love  hath  no  man  than  this,  that  he 
lay  down  his  life  for  his  friend."  Truly,  young 
ladies,  Charles  D.  Mclver  has,  indeed  and  in  truth, 
laid  down  his  life  for  you  and  for  your  children  and 
for  your  children's  children.  At  all  times,  under  all 
circumstances,  in  the  State  or  out  of  the  State,  his 
chiefest  and  uppermost  thought  was,  — What  can  I  do 
for  popular  education  1  What  can  I  do  for  the  woman- 
hood of  North  Carolina  ? 

Let  us  be  sorrowful,  but  let  us  be  hopeful.  The 
holy  influences  in  the  hearts  of  the  three  thousand 
young  women  who  have  gone  out  from  this  Institution 
are  seeds  planted  in  fruitful  gardens,  which  will 
hereafter  produce  roses  of  hope,  lilies  of  love  and 
flowers  of  patriotism.  The  hearts  of  three  thousand 
young  women  are  bound  to  this  Institution  by  golden 
cords,  and  the  hearts  of  nearly  two  millions  of  people 
today,  faculty  and  students,  extend  to  you  sympathy 
in  your  work  and  bid  you  Godspeed  in  your  efforts 
to  continue  the  work  of  this  great  Institution. 

As  Aaron  and  Hur  held  up  the  arms  of  Moses  in 
the  presence  of  the  Amalekites,  so  the  Board  asks  you, 
young  ladies,  to  hold  up  the  hands  of  your  faculty 
by  an  earnest  devotion  to  duty,  by  hopeful  helpfulness 
and  by  indefatigable  effort,  to  build  here  a  great 
institution  of  learning,  a  great  fountain  from  which 
will  flow  streams  of  living  water  to  bless  and  brighten 
the  pathway  of  the  people  of  our  State. 


218 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVEB 


And  in  all  your  efforts  may  the  richest  joys  of  earth 
and  the  choicest  blessings  of  Heaven  come  to  you, 
collectively  and  individually. 

JOSEPHUS   DANIELS 

In  Mclver  Memorial  Edition  of  the  News  and  Observer 

The  people  of  North  Carolina  will  preserve  in  a 
bronze  statue  the  form  and  lineaments  of  Charles 
Duncan  Mclver,  and  his  figure  will  stand  for  all  time 
as  the  best  type  of  the  North  Carolina  educational 
statesman  and  will  serve  to  incite  ambitious  youth  to 
unselfish  public  service.  The  State  Normal  and  Indus- 
trial College,  born  in  his  brain  years  before  legisla- 
tive action  gave  him  permission  to  build,  will  be 
enlarged  from  year  to  year  and  live  forever  as  the 
chief  institution  for  the  education  of  women  in  the 
South.  *  *  It  was  born  of  the  faith  and 

enthusiasm  of  Dr.  Mclver  and  his  noble  wife,  who  saw 
its  present  glory  as  clearly  in  their  dreams  twenty 
years  ago  as  the  public  now  sees  its  imposing  build- 
ings and  its  large  equipment  and  beautiful  campus, 
and  feels  its  influence  in  every  school  district  in  the 
Commonwealth.  *  *  The  State,  through  his 
efforts  and  enthusiasm,  voted  a  small  sum  to  establish 
the  Institution  after  having,  when  first  presented, 
refused  to  vote  the  necessary  small  appropriation. 
His  faith  was  so  contagious  and  Greensboro  was  so 
dominated  by  it  that  its  people  voted  a  bond  issue  to 
secure  the  location.  The  State  and  Greensboro  there- 
fore gave  to  Charles  Mclver  the  clay  — because  his 

219 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVEB 


enthusiasm  compelled  them — but  it  was  his  hand  that 
fashioned  it  into  the  Institution  that  in  a  few  years 
came  to  be  the  wonder  and  pride  of  all  North  Carolina. 
How  did  he  do  it?  The  answer  is  that  the  vision  he 
had  seen  so  controlled  him  that  he  poured  his  life- 
blood  into  it,  and  fortunately  for  this  and  future 
generations  he  had  an  endowment  of  warm,  rich  blood 
that  made  him  capable  of  achieving  the  largest  results. 
He  was  the  rare  combination  of  the  dreamer  and  the 
practical  man  of  affairs.  He  saw  the  "heavenly 
vision"  of  duty  and  opportunity  that  comes  to  every 
great  soul,  "and  he  was  not  disobedient  to  the  heavenly 
vision."  All  men  of  large  capacity  see  the  noble 
structure  they  can  rear  to  bless  their  fellows,  but  the 
love  of  ease  and  the  pursuit  of  wealth  cause  most  of 
them  to  ttirn  aside  and  be  disobedient  to  the  high 
call.  They  like  their  bread  "well  buttered,"  and  the 
"fine  purpose"  they  once  had  dissolves  in  chasing  the 
things  that  perish. 

Some  one  has  said  that  "a  man  must  consult  his 
wife  to  be  rich."  It  were  truer  to  say  that  if  a  man 
wishes  to  serve  humanity  rather  than  to  get  rich  he 
must  mate  with  a  kindred  soul.  How  many  men  have 
sacrificed  their  worthy  ambitions  because  they  lacked 
the  inspiration  to  altruism  around  the  hearthstone ! 
Fortunate  was  Charles  Mclver  that  he  found  in  his 
wife  an  inspiration  and  a  co-worker,  and  fortunate 
was  the  State  of  North  Carolina  that  the  noble  man 
it  mourns  was  cheered  and  supported  in  the  great 
work  he  accomplished  by  the  brave  woman  who  shared 

220 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVER 


his  ambition  and  his  labors.  Mclver  felt  this  blessing 
in  his  life  and  he  held  with  Ruskin  that  "no  man 
ever  lived  a  right  life  who  had  not  been  chastened 
by  a  woman's  love,  strengthened  by  her  courage,  and 
guided  by  her  devotion."  When  he  began  the  agita- 
tion for  a  better  chance  for  women  and  better  public 
schools  for  all  the  children,  going  from  county  to 
county  in  the  Teachers '  Institutes,  his  good  wife  often 
went  with  him  and  her  enthusiasm  touched  the  hearts 
of  the  mothers  of  the  country,  and  when  these  evan- 
gels of  a  Better  Chance  left  a  county  they  had  kindled 
a  flame  that  has  burned  since  with  a  steadily  increas- 
ing light,  and  much  of  the  educational  renaissance 
in  many  of  our  counties  can  be  traced  to  those  seem- 
ingly small  gatherings  in  the  various  county  seats.  I 
shall  never  forget  the  spirit  of  this  patriotic  couple  as 
I  saw  it  manifested  in  a  little  mountain  town  less  than 
a  score  of  years  ago.  I  had  heard  they  were  holding 
a  Teachers'  Institute  and  had  driven  over  just  to 
spend  a  day  with  these  friends,  for  I  was  on  a  short 
vacation.  I  walked  into  the  dingy  little  court  house, 
where  there  were  gathered  perhaps  three  score 
teachers,  none  of  whom  had  ever  seen  inside  of  a  high 
school  and  none  of  whom  had  ever  received  more  than 
thirty  or  forty  dollars  a  month  for  a  four  or  five 
months'  session,  but,  poorly  prepared  as  they  were 
and  more  wretchedly  paid,  they  were  the  main  hope  of 
uplift  for  children  in  that  county.  As  I  walked  in 
unobserved.  Professor  Mclver  (not  then  "doctor") 
was  drilling  the  teachers  on  how  to  teach  arithmetic. 

221 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVER 


Nothing  was  ever  so  dry  to  me  as  mathematics  or  so 
uninteresting,  but  he  spoke  with  clearness,  enthusiasm 
and  power,  and  invested  the  dry  bones  with  life.  It 
was  not  that  he  was  wishing  so  much  to  pour  the 
science  of  numbers  into  their  heads,  but  that  he  was 
trying  to  give  them  enthusiasm  in  the  work  of  teaching 
so  that  they  would  pour  their  lives  into  the  lives  of 
the  scholars,  and  awake  in  them  a  desire  for  learning 
that  would  call  forth  the  best  that  was  in  them.  And 
as  he  talked  with  as  much  earnestness  and  vim  as  if 
the  fate  of  the  nation  depended  upon  arousing  those 
country  teachers  to  see  the  greatness  of  their  work 
and  measure  up  to  it,  that  dingy  looking  court  house 
seemed  illumined  and  those  careworn  and  hitherto 
ambitiouless  faces  shone  with  a  new  light.  He  had 
burned  into  their  hearts  the  ambition  and  glory  that 
animated  his  own  soul,  and  the  place  had  been  trans- 
formed into  holy  ground,  and  the  little  company  that 
entered  the  court  house  from  a  sense  of  duty  went 
forth  with  a  new  resolve  in  their  hearts  and  with  a 
fresh  baptism  and  new  consecration  to  service.  Since 
then  I  have  heard  Mclver  evoke  the  applause  of  legis- 
latures that  were  carried  by  the  resistless  power  of  his 
logic  and  high  appeal;  I  have  seen  him  in  gatherings 
where  the  titled  and  the  world's  great  gave  him 
applause  and  primacy ;  I  have  seen  him  in  almost 
every  high  place  where  men  were  to  be  inspired  to 
public  service  and  love  of  country  —  for  he  was  a 
man  deeply  concerned  in  whatever  looked  to  the  uplift 
of  his  fellows  —  but  he  never  was  so  great  to  me  as 

222 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVEB 


when  he  poured  out  his  soul  in  bringing  out  the  latent 
greatness  of  those  mountain  teachers  who  had  before 
them  the  task  of  making  brick  without  straw.  He 
put  himself  in  their  places.  He  made  them  see  that, 
just  as  surely  as  the  sculptor  saw  an  angel  in  the 
rock,  he  saw  nobility  and  power  in  them,  and  sent 
them  home  with  a  faith  that  they  could  lead  the  little 
folks  in  humble  homes  into  the  highest  places  of  use- 
fulness. And  they,  and  like  men  and  women  all  over 
the  State,  impelled  by  the  high  ambition  implanted 
in  them  by  Mclver,  have  done  more  for  the  true  prog- 
ress of  the  State  than  all  the  captains  of  industry 
within  its  borders,  for  under  the  spell  of  Mclver 's 
faith  and  enthusiasm  they  have  kindled  the  ambition 
of  thousands  of  youths  who  have  given  a  new  impulse 
to  every  department  of  industry  and  progress.  And 
the  influences  he  brought  into  being  will  live  and  grow 
with  every  passing  year. 

There  are  few  men  who  saw  Mclver 's  great  influ- 
ence in  later  years  but  who  saw  that  the  foundations 
of  his  power  had  been  laid  deeply  by  the  service  he 
rendered  in  those  days  of  arduous  labor,  travelling 
from  county  to  county,  leaving  the  pleasures  of  home 
and  access  to  books,  literally  being  "in  the  saddle" 
month  after-  month,  and  receiving  only  enough  com- 
pensation to  support  his  family.  Every  educator 
would  glory  to  have  won  Mclver 's  proud  place.  Few 
would  have  paid  the  price.  And  Mclver  was  able 
to  win  the  first  place,  not  because  he  felt  he  was 
making  sacrifice   in   arduous  labor,   but   because  he 

223 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVEB 


entered  upon  the  hard  work  with  his  whole  heart  and 
found  compensation  in  the  touch  of  elbow  to  elbow 
with  the  struggling  men  and  women  whom  he  was 
able  to  help  to  a  higher  plane  and  to  whom  it  was 
given  him  to  impart  a  clearer  vision  so  that  they 
could  walk  with  the  immortals.  Leadership  that 
endures  only  comes  through  loving  service. 

In  1886,  Mr.  Mclver  came  to  Raleigh  to  teach  in 
Peace  Institute  • —  then  as  now,  a  leading  college  for 
the  education  of  women.  I  had  only  a  few  months 
previously  moved  to  Raleigh  and  was  editing  a  weekly 
newspaper.  He  had  no  duties  at  the  Institute  except 
in  the  class-room  and  my  work  was  not  heavy,  and 
we  both  had  time  to  dream  dreams  and  to  see  much 
of  each  other  in  the  few  years  from  1886  until  1891 
when  he  went  to  Greensboro  as  President  of  the  State 
Normal  and  Industrial  College,  particularly  before  he 
entered  upon  the  work,  jointly  with  Dr.  Edwin  A. 
Alderman,  as  conductor  of  Teachers'  Institutes.  The 
walks  and  talks  we  had  in  those  halcyon  days  when 
we  planned  the  great  things  we  hoped  to  do  and 
rejoiced  in  youth  and  strength  to  overcome  obstacles ! 
I  count  them  as  among  the  happiest  of  my  life,  for 
it  was  then  that  our  souls  were  knit  together  and  there 
came  a  comradeship  and  intimacy  that  had  no  inter- 
ruption in  the  years  that  followed,  though  our  work 
denied  the  blessing  of  daily  companionship  and  com- 
munion. He  was  as  much  interested  in  my  newspaper 
dream  that  he  helped  me  to  realize  as  I  was  wrapped 
up  in  his  dream  of  the  great  college  for  women  that 

224 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVEB 


he  lived  to  see  become  the  crown  of  all  colleges  for 
women  in  the  South.  His  faith  and  his  enthusiasm 
were  so  great  and  his  vision  so  clear  that  it  was  mag- 
netic and  irresistible. 

His  connection  with  a  leading  woman's  college 
served  to  cause  him  to  study  the  problems  of  woman's 
education.  *  *  The  conviction  that  the 

State  was  unjust  to  its  daughters  grew  upon  him  day 
by  day  until  the  resolve  to  find  or  make  a  way  for 
them  took  possession  of  him.  I  have  long  believed 
that  no  man  does  work  that  lives  unless  he  hears 
the  call  of  God  to  that  work  and  heeds  the  call.  I 
believe  that  Charles  Mclver  was  called  of  God  to  the 
work  that  made  his  life  glorious,  and  enables  him, 
though  dead,  yet  to  speak,  as  surely  as  ever  man  was 
called  to  minister  at  sacred  altars.  The  desire  to  be 
instrumental  in  the  broader  education  of  women 
took  possession  of  him  and  became  the  master  passion 
of  his  life.  Nor  was  it  because  he  merely  wished  to 
see  women  educated  for  their  own  elevation,  but 
because  he  had  the  statesmanship  to  see  that  North 
Carolina  would  never  come  into  its  own  until  a  genera- 
tion of  educated  mothers  reared  its  sons  and  daugh- 
ters. The  need  was  summed  up  in  this  expression  to 
which  he  gave  utterance  in  one  form  or  another  a  thou- 
sand times : 

"When  a  man  is  educated  it  is  simply  one  more  taken 
from  the  list  of  ignorance,  but  in  the  education  of  a  woman 
the  whole  family  is  taught,  for  she  will  pass  on  what  she 
has  learned  to   her  children.     The   education   of  one  woman 

225 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVER 


is  far  more  important  for  the  world's  advancement  than 
that  of  one  man. ' ' 

We  had  become  so  accustomed  to  see  the  son  favored 
and  so  many  people  had  denied  the  higher  education 
of  woman,  that  twenty  years  ago  that  declaration 
challenged  attention  and  provoked  discussion.  There 
were  not  wanting  those  who  declared  that  the  women 
made  better  wives  and  mothers  with  the  acquaintance 
of  a  little  music  and  drawing  than  with  a  broad 
education,  and  there  was  strong  and  hostile  opposition 
to  the  proposition  to  establish  the  new  Normal  College 
for  women  that  Dr.  Mclver  championed,  for  that  was 
the  day  when  serious  and  organized  opposition  to 
what  was  erroneously  called  "State  Aid"  was  at 
high-water  mark,  and  when  many  good  men  were  in 
antagonism  to  what  has  become  the  fixed  policy  of 
the  State  —  a  policy,  too,  that  now  has  no  opposition 
and  that  has  demonstrated  its  wisdom.  How  much 
Mclver  did  to  cheek  the  growth  of  the  hostility  to 
"State  Aid"  will  never  be  known,  but  it  was  second 
to  that  of  no  other  man  and  was  prompted  by  nothing 
except  the  largest  conception  of  the  need  of  education. 
*  *  The  story  of  how  the  College  has  grown 

from  its  "hastily  constructed,  hideous  brick  building" 
into  an  institution  with  property  worth  nearly  half 
a  million  dollars  is  the  brightest  chapter  of  North 
Carolina's  history  of  this  decade.  Every  progressive 
step  was  first  born  in  Mclver 's  brain.  When  he  had 
felt  the  pressing  need  of  improvement,  he  set  to  work 
to  convince  the  public  of  the  need  so  that  the  money 

226 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   MclVEB 


should  be  forthcoming.  But  no  forward  movement 
was  made  that  did  not  draw  greater  drafts  upon  his 
energy  and  abundant  vitality  than  upon  the  treasury 
of  the  State  and  the  purses  of  generous  friends.  The 
Institution,  under  his  leadership,  has  been  established 
on  broad  foundations,  and  this  session  opened  the  day 
after  his  funeral  with  over  six  hundred  students. 
It  will  grow  under  the  fostering  care  of  the  State  and 
the  people,  for  he  has  given  it  such  an  impetus  that 
it  will  do  the  work  for  which  it  was  established.  And 
it  will  be  a  perpetual  monument  to  his  broad  states- 
manship and  patriotism. 

But  the  establishment  and  enlargement  of  that 
Institution,  while  a  monument  to  his  genius  and  faith, 
was  not  the  sole  object  of  his  educational  zeal.  The 
neglect  of  the  higher  education  of  woman  caused 
him  to  throw  his  heart  into  the  work  of  giving  her  a 
chance,  but  he  could  not  be  content  with  building  up 
one  mighty  institution.  His  real  purpose  was  to  see 
the  blessings  of  an  education  brought  within  the  reach 
of  every  child  in  the  State.  And  so  he  gave  himself 
freely  to  every  movement  for  education,  going  into 
the  most  remote  district  as  well  as  into  the  biggest 
city.  He  grew  to  be  the  acknowledged  educational 
leader  of  the  State,  and  helped  greatly  to  bring  about 
the  present  Era  of  Good  Feeling  in  North  Carolina 
where  the  State,  church,  and  private  school  teachers 
have  no  rivalry  except  to  do  the  most  for  the  educa- 
tion of  all  the  children  of  the  State.         *         *         * 


227 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVER 


The  profession  that  he  adopted  made  Dr.  Mclver 
an  educational  statesman,  but  he  was  more  than  that. 
He  was  a  patriot  and  a  statesman  in  the  broad  sense. 
There  was  nothing  of  the  aloofness  of  the  student  in 
him.  He  was  a  man  and  whatever  concerned  men 
interested  him.  He  clasped  hands  with  men  of  all 
callings  who  were  working  for  the  public  welfare, 
whether  it  related  to  voting  a  tax  for  schools,  holding 
fairs  or  reunions  or  civic  celebrations,  electing  Gover- 
nors or  Presidents,  or  exhibiting  North  Carolina's 
resources  in  a  great  exposition.  He  had  civic  virtue 
highly  developed,  and  nobody  in  North  Carolina  ever 
sought  his  help  in  vain  to  advance  any  good  cause, 
and  when  he  gave  his  hand  to  an  undertaking  he 
went  into  it  with  all  his  heart  and  made  himself  felt. 
He  was  the  soul  of  the  notable  Reunion  of  North  Caro- 
linians at  Greensboro  which  brought  together  hun- 
dreds of  native  born  North  Carolinians  living  in  other 
States.  Two  years  ago,  when  it  looked  like  an  appro- 
priation for  the  Jamestown  Exposition  would  fail,  he 
came  to  Raleigh  and  was  its  most  zealous  advocate. 
It  would  be  difficult  to  name  any  movement — educa- 
tional, industrial,  religious  or  political — that  was  mak- 
ing for  the  betterment  of  the  State  that  did  not  feel 
the  helpful  touch  of  Charles  D.  Mclver.  He  was  an 
optimist  of  the  best  type,  and  went  about  making 
others  have  faith  in  themselves  and  inspiring  them 
with  patriotism  and  civic  virtue  and  public  spirit. 
Other  men  will  be  found  who  Avill  carry  on  the  College 
and  direct  the  public  educational  work,  but  his  spirit 

228 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVEB 


of  faith  and  hope  and  cheer  will  be  missed  in  an 
hundred  ways,  and  it  was  the  thing  that  made  him 
easily  the  most  useful  man  in  North  Carolina  and  the 
best  loved  private  citizen.  It  is  not  so  much  whether 
a  man  does  this  or  that  thing  well  that  counts,  but 
whether  his  presence  and  his  life  inspire  others  to 
follow  his  leadership  of  service  to  their  fellows. 

Dr.  Mclver  had  the  faculty  of  uniting  men  of 
widely  differing  views  and  bringing  them  together  to 
serve  the  public  interest.  He  was  a  Democrat  of  the 
Bryan  and  Aycock  type  and  yet  his  partisanship  was 
not  of  the  sort  that  denied  him  warm  friendship 
among  strong  partisans  of  the  other  parties,  and  his 
association  with  men  of  all  creeds  nearly  always 
resulted  in  making  them  better  and  more  useful 
citizens,  ready  to  do  some  public  service.  He  saw 
the  faculty  for  usefulness  in  promoting  good  schools, 
good  roads,  or  other  progress  in  every  man  of  force, 
and  he  brought  such  men  together  for  the  betterment 
of  the  community  and  the  State.  Not  a  few  men 
seemingly  with  nothing  in  common,  were  made  friends 
and  co-workers  by  Mclver 's  genius  in  making  oil 
and  water  mix. 

In  politics  he  was  a  Democrat  and  believed  in  its 
fundamental  principles.  He  believed  in  the  people 
and  had  the  same  views  as  to  their  capacity  and  educa- 
tion that  dominated  Jefferson.  He  w^as  concerned  more 
about  the  fundamentals  than  about  the  party  divisions 
upon  fiscal  policies,  and  he  had  more  faith  in  the 
man  than  in  the  platform,  though  he  never  thought 

229 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVEB 


he  could  advance  good  government  by  mugwump  vot- 
ing. At  the  same  time,  as  the  head  of  a  great  public 
institution,  he  never  took  such  active  part  in  political 
warfare  as  would  deny  to  the  institution  the  good- 
will and  support  of  all  parties,  and  he  measured 
party  leaders  largely  by  their  spirit  toward  public 
education.  But  you  always  knew  where  to  find  him 
on  election  day  and  his  political  views  were  an  open 
book.  If  he  had  chosen  the  political  career,  it  is 
doubtful  if  any  man  since  Vance  would  have  held 
to  a  greater  degree  the  affection  and  confidence  of  the 
people.  He  had  a  larger  fund  of  anecdotes  and  more 
humor  than  any  public  man  of  his  generation  and 
could  use  a  joke  or  a  story  to  clinch  an  argument  as 
effectively  as  Vance.  He  was  not  unlike  Bryan  in 
many  things.  I  never  heard  him  speak  that  I  did 
not  recall  the  Nebraskan.  Their  resemblance  probably 
was  chiefly  in  their  faith  in  the  people  and  their  desire 
to  see  that  they  get  a  fair  chance  and  in  their  trans- 
parent sincerity  and  honesty.  He  was  quick  to  dis- 
cern greatness  in  the  men  who  came  in  the  public  eye 
in  State  or  Federal  politics.  In  1894,  before  Bryan 
had  become  the  leader  of  his  party,  Dr.  Mclver  saw 
the  greatness  in  him  that  the  whole  world  now  acknowl- 
edges, and  invited  him  to  visit  Greensboro  and  address 
the  College  girls.  Bryan  Avas  too  busy  to  come  if  he 
had  to  prepare  a  commencement  address.  "Come," 
said  Mclver,  "and  speak  on  the  silver  question." 
*  *  The  friendship  thus  begun  between  these 

two  men  who  had  much  in  common  ripened  into  an 

230 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVEB 


affection  that  terminated  only  with  the  death  of  the 
North  Carolina  leader  while  he  was  welcoming  the 
Nebraskan  to  the  State.  The  eulogy  of  his  dead 
friend  pronounced  by  Bryan  was  a  fitting  funeral 
oration  and  will  be  read  by  generations  yet  unborn 
and  inspire  them  to  emulate  Melver's  life  of  service. 

No  life  can  be  as  noble  as  Melver's  unless  it  is 
God-directed.  As  a  boy  he  gave  his  heart  to  the  Great 
Teacher  and  always  sat  at  His  feet  as  an  humble 
learner.  His  religion  had  about  it  the  sunshine  of 
gladness  and  was  touched  by  no  skepticism  or  bigotry. 
*  *  Though  the  loss  of  a  personal  friend  to 

me  is  great  and  to  the  State  beyond  computation,  I 
can  but  feel  that  if  one  must  die  it  is  a  blessing  that 
the  summons  should  come  in  the  full  tide  of  useful- 
ness, without  the  wasting  by  disease.  I  know  that 
he  was  ready  —  and  when  ' '  the  clear  call ' '  came  to 
him  he  was  prepared  ' '  to  meet  his  pilot  face  to  face. ' ' 

Not  many  montlis  ago  there  came  to  Dr.  Mclver  a 
great  temptation — the  supreme  temptation  of  his  life. 
He  had  passed  the  forty-fifth  year  of  his  life  and  his 
twenty-fifth  year  in  the  teaching  profession  and 
poured  himself  into  his  work  so  completely  that  he 
had  not  had  thought  of  making  money,  and  sometimes 
he  was  oppressed  by  the  thought  that  if  his  health 
should  fail  he  would  have  nothing  to  take  care  of 
himself  and  his  family.  He  was  wont  to  say  to  his 
friends  that  as  a  teacher  grew  older  and  needed  larger 
income,  he  could  look  forward  to  no  increase  in  salary, 
but  to  an  old  age  of  privation.     And  that  outlook 

231 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVEB 


was  one  that  sometimes  weighed  upon  his  spirits.  I 
shall  never  forget  a  long  conference  in  Raleigh 
between  Mclver,  Joyner  and  myself  that  went  far 
past  midnight,  less  than  a  year  ago,  when  Mclver  put 
aside  a  temptation  to  make  money  that  he  might  con- 
tinue the  great  work  to  which  he  had  consecrated  his 
life.  An  offer  had  come  to  him,  an  inviting  offer, 
from  a  commercial  enterprise  of  standing  to  accept 
an  important  position  at  a  salary  of  $7,500  a  year. 
Before  that,  he  had  declined  several  flattering  offers 
to  go  to  other  States  in  the  work  of  his  profession. 
But,  when  an  offer  at  a  salary  of  three  times  what  the 
State  paid  him  was  urged  upon  him  by  a  broad- 
minded  business  man  who  saw  that  Mclver 's  ability 
and  energy  would  be  a  valuable  asset,  the  duty  of  car- 
ing for  his  family  and  providing  for  old  age  caused 
him  to  give  the  proposition  serious  consideration.  I 
knew  he  would  never  yield  to  the  temptation  just  as 
I  knew  that  most  other  men  would  have  accepted  the 
offer  without  a  moment's  hesitation,  and  yet  he  was 
troubled  because  he  felt  that  his  duty  to  his  family 
and  to  himself  could  not  be  easily  put  aside  to  serve 
the  State  which  paid  him  only  enough  for  a  omfortable 
living.  He  said  he  wished  Joyner  and  myself,  whom 
he  esteemed  as  brothers,  to  advise  him  what  course 
he  ought  to  pursue.  He  thought  he  was  holding  the 
matter  under  advisement,  but  way  down  in  his  heart 
there  was  a  devotion  to  the  higher  duty  that  would 
have  prevented  his  acceptance  of  the  business  proposi- 
tion if  it  had  carried  a  salary  of  twice  seventy-five 

232 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVER 


hundred  dollars.  He  argued  that,  having  given 
twenty  years  to  the  public,  the  time  had  come  when  he 
owed  something  to  his  family.  Botli  Joyner  and 
myself  argued  that  he  would  be  happy  in  no  other  work 
and  the  enlargement  and  growth  of  the  College  was 
a  greater  service  to  his  family  than  if  he  could  give 
them  a  million  dollars.  I  shall  never  forget  the  reply 
he  made  to  our  argument :  "  It  is  very  well,  boys, 
for  you  both  to  tell  me  that  I  ought  to  stay  and  devote 
my  life  to  the  work.  You  are  serving  the  public  also, 
but  Joyner  owns  property  and  faces  no  old  age  of 
poverty,  and  every  lick  that  Daniels  strikes  he  is 
adding  value  to  his  property  that  will  give  him  an 
income  if  his  health  fails  and  care  for  his  wife  and 
children  if  he  dies.  I  have  not  even  a  roof  to  my 
head  that  belongs  to  me  and  not  a  brick  of  all  that  I 
have  builded  is  mine  or  could  help  my  family  if  I 
should  die."  I  was  ashamed  then  that  I  had  dared 
to  put  myself  in  the  same  class  with  him  or  to  presume 
that  my  service  to  the  public  weal  was  comparable 
to  his  sacrifice.  A  silence  fell  upon  us  —  the  sort  of 
silence  that  only  comes  between  men  who  understand 
one  another  and  love  each  other.  He  broke  the  silence. 
He  had  gone  through  his  temptation  and  his  trial. 
The  advice  he  sought  really  had  little  to  do  with  his 
victory,  for  if  every  friend  had  advised  him  to  leave 
the  work  to  which  he  had  put  his  hand,  he  could  not 
have  done  it.  He  loved  it  better  than  anything  except 
his  own  flesh  and  blood.  He  thought  he  was  consider- 
ing the  offer,  but  there  never  was  a  moment  when  he 

233 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVEK 


could  have  accepted  it,  though  remaining  at  the  post 
of  duty  seemed  to  sacrifice  his  material  interests  and 
prevented  any  provision  for  old  age.  And  as  I  looked 
Wednesday  upon  the  splendid  buildings  he  had 
erected  at  the  College,  his  words  came  back  to  me  that 
not  one  brick  he  had  placed  upon  another  belonged 
to  him  or  would  help  to  support  his  family  or  care 
for  him  in  his  old  age.  And  yet,  with  that  knowledge, 
he  put  aside  the  natural  desire  of  the  husband  and 
father  and  threw  himself  into  the  work  for  humanity 
with  fresh  zeal.  The  incident  was  closed.  His  con- 
secration, new  and  complete,  to  his  work  gave  him 
joy  and  happiness.  When  he  had  met  and  conquered 
the  temptation  to  put  making  money  in  an  honorable 
way  and  for  the  highest  purpose  above  the  vision  he 
had  seen  and  the  duty  he  had  accepted,  there  came 
to  him  a  peace  and  a  purpose  that  gave  him  larger 
vision  and  a  higher  ambition  than  he  had  hitherto 
known,  and  when  he  died  he  was  planning  greater 
things  than  his  associates  had  dreamed  he  entertained. 
There  never  was  a  time  when  the  temptation  to  leave 
his  life-work  could  have  moved  him,  but  I  have 
thought  how  much  richer  his  good  wife  and  children 
are  because  of  his  noble  public  service  than  if  he  had 
turned  aside  to  make  money  for  them.  They  have  in 
the  high  purpose  of  his  life  the  heritage  of  a  love  so 
great  as  to  find  alone  in  perfect  sacrifice  to  a  groat 
and  humane  idea  its  best  and  final  expression. 


234 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVEB 


GOVERNOR  R.  B.  GLENN 

Extract  from  Message  to  the  General  Assembly  of  North  Carolina 

In  1905,  my  predecessor,  Governor  C.  B.  Aycock, 
announced  to  the  General  Assembly  in  his  message 
the  loss  by  fire  of  the  main  building  of  the  State 
Normal  and  Industrial  College ;  but  today  I  announce 
a  far  greater  loss  than  that  of  a  few  material  buildings, 
for  I  speak  of  the  sudden  and  sad  death  of  its  founder, 
mastermind,  and  beloved  President,  Dr.  Charles  D. 
Mclver.  The  buildings  could  be  and  were  rebuilt, 
but  the  loss  of  Dr.  Mclver  can  never  be  remedied  or 
replaced.  He  conceived  the  idea  of  erecting  a  college 
for  women,  where  they  could  be  educated  and  trained 
to  be  worthy  wives,  mothers,  and  teachers  of  North 
Carolina 's  sons  and  daughters ;  and  this  splendid 
normal  and  industrial  Institution  thus  erected  for 
our  women  remains  a  monument  to  the  devotion  and 
patriotism  of  this  brainy  and  philanthropic  man. 
Educating,  as  it  does,  our  women,  can  there  be  any 
institution  in  all  the  State  that  will  so  commend  itself 
to  you,  and  need  I  tell  you  that  State  pride  demands 
that  we  so  maintain  it  as  to  give  our  girls  the  most 
thorough  mental  and  moral  training  and  development  ? 
Carefully  read  the  report  of  the  Acting  President, 
and  then  have  him  and  the  Superintendent  of  Public 
Instruction  to  come  before  your  comTnitt.ee  and  go  over 
with  them,  what  they  request,  and  then  vote  this 
College  what  you  deem  necessary  for  the  proper 
equipment  and  maintenance  of  an  Institution  whose 
value  cannot  be  estimated  in  dollars  and  cents. 

235 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVER 


DR.   C.   ALPHONSO   SMITH 

In  Raleigh  News  and  Observer 

*  *  Of  all  the  men  who  have  given  directive 

thought  and  constructive  effort  to  the  spread  of  educa- 
tion in  North  Carolina,  not  one  seems  to  me  so 
clearly  born  with  a  mission  as  Dr.  Mclver.  Though 
there  was  sympathy  in  this  man's  heart  for  all  high 
undertakings  and  generous  impulses,  the  education 
of  the  boys  and  girls  of  North  Carolina  was  always 
first.  Had  you  waked  him  up  any  night,  however 
laborious  the  day  may  have  been,  and  hinted  to  him 
some  dimly  formed  plan  by  which  you  thought  it 
possible  that  the  benefits  of  education  might  be  given 
to  two  instead  of  to  one,  he  would  have  hurried  with 
you  to  his  office  and  in  utter  forgetfulness  of  self 
would  have  talked  and  worked  and  rejoiced  until 
morning  and  victory  came  together.  Dr.  Mclver  and 
his  mission  were  one. 

Among  the  multiple  forces  that  guided  and  enriched 
Dr.  Mclver 's  character,  enthusiasm  must  be  given  a 
primal  place.  It  was  an  enthusiasm  devoid  of  weak- 
ness and  not  to  be  evoked  except  by  the  wide  horizons 
that  beckoned  to  large  achievements  and  to  abiding 
results.  It  was  an  enthusiasm  based  not  on  ignorance 
but  on  faith  in  the  supreme  worth  of  education,  on 
hope  for  the  better  day  that  he  saw  dawning,  and  on 
a  love  for  North  Carolina  and  her  people  that  knew 
neither  variableness  nor  the  shadow  of  turning. 
"Nothing  great,"  says  Emerson,  "was  ever  achieved 

236 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVEK 


without  enthusiasm."  Let  us  teach  this  great  truth 
afresh  in  our  schools,  and  let  the  name  and  fame  of 
Charles  Duncan  Melver  be  our  illustration. 

His  was  a  happy  life,  a  life  of  ceaseless  activity,  but 
filled  and  thrilled  with  an  ideal,  and  ennobled  by 
fruitful  and  unselfish  service.  There  is  grief  today 
in  many  a  home  and  school  where  the  picture  of  this 
dead  leader  looks  down  upon  the  embodied  results  of 
his  own  heart  and  brain.  But  to  all  who  knew  him 
there  comes  the  thought  of  a  great  work  nobly  done, 
and  the  inspiration  of  a  far  greater  work  that  through- 
out all  the  years  his  memory  and  example  will  help 
to  carry  onward. 

And  thou,  Greensboro,  to  thy  trust 

Eeceive  and  keep, 
Keep 'safe  his  dedicated  dust, 

His  sacred  sleep. 

So  shall  thy  lovers,  come  from  far, 

Mix  with  thy  name, 
As  morning  star  with  evening  star, 

His  splendid  fame. 

COL.  PAUL   B.   MEANS 
In  Raleigh  News  and  Observer 

I  was  travelling  home,  by  necessity,  on  a  very  belated 
train  last  Sunday  morning,  and  as  I  passed  the  State 
Normal  and  Industrial  College  I  thought  of  our  dear, 
very  dear  friend,  McIver,  as  a  great  man,  and  of  his 
great  work  for  our  State.  But  we  apply  the  term  great 
alike  to  Alexander,   Casar,  Napoleon  and  St.  Paul, 

237 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVER 


Luther,  John  Knox  and  Wesley ;  the  difference  between 
the  first  three  and  the  last  four  being  as  wide  as  wide 
can  be.  This  is  because  there  is  no  true  standard  among 
men  for  greatness.  But  with  God  there  is  a  fixed  and 
true  standard.  In  the  Bible,  He  continually  gives  us 
examples  of  men  great  in  His  sight.  And,  therefore, 
when  I  want  to  know  how  great  any  man  is  I  just  try 
to  see  how  far  his  life  and  character  conform  to  those  of 
some  man  whom  God  plainly  sets  before  us,  in  His 
word,  as  great  in  His  sight. 

As  I  sat  in  that  fast  moving  car,  surrounded  by 
many  people,  but  alone  with  my  thoughts,  and  looked 
out,  ' '  through  the  rain  and  mist ' '  of  the  morning  and 
of  my  tears,  on  that  wondrous  work  of  Mclver's  to 
which  God  called  him,  as  surely  as  he  called  St.  Paul 
as  Apostle  to  the  Gentiles,  I  mentMly  turned  to  the 
Bible  for  Mclver's  prototype.  Immediately  I  thought 
of  Stephen;  and,  having  my  Bible  with  me,  I  investi- 
gated the  record  on  the  train,  after  I  had  run  out 
the  similitude  mentally. 

Stephen  was  the  first  Deacon.  The  duties  of  his 
work  were  to  minister  unto  "neglected"  women,  and 
his  work  was  especially  the  care  of  the  poor  and 
needy  women.  Mclver's  life-work  was  the  same.  He 
preached  and  performed  the  gospel  of  education  unto 
the  poor  and  for  the  poor.  And  O  how  gloriously  he 
did  his  work,  from  his  first  answer  to  God's  call 
in  the  campaign  that  he  and  Alderman  made  in  1889 
for  the  cause  of  education,  and  woman's  education 
especially,  until  —  as  Stephen  was  the  first  Deacon  — 

238 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVEB 


he  was  the  first  President  of  North  Carolina's  first 
great  institution  for  the  education  of  all  women  and 
particularly  the  poor  girls  of  our  State.  And  he  never 
ceased  his  labors  for  this  great  cause,  even  after  the 
enormous  responsibilities  of  the  Presidency  were  cast 
upon  him,  up  to  the  very  hour  of  his  death.  Like 
Stephen  he  was  advocating  his  cause  till  death  came. 

All  the  great  factories,  railroads  and  other  institu- 
tions of  commercialism  of  our  State  pale  into  utter 
insignificance  when  compared  with  the  actual  utility 
and  beneficence  for  humanity  of  the  State  Normal 
and  Industrial  College  for  Women  at  Greensboro. 
These  great  institutions  are  for  time  and  earthly  prog- 
ress and  prosperity  only;  Dr.  Mclver's  work  was 
for  all  time  and  eternity  and  for  heaven. 

Stephen  was  "a  man  full  of  faith  and  of  the  Holy 
Ghost." 

Mclver  's  fullness  of  faith  is  certified  beyond  all  cavil, 
by  the  existence  today  of  the  State  Normal  College. 
"Faith  is  the  substance  of  things  hoped  for,  the  evi- 
dence of  things  not  seen. ' '  It  stands  and  will  ever  stand 
as  "the  substance  of  things  hoped  for"  and  prayed 
for  by  Mclver.  It  is  and  ever  will  be  "the  evidence 
of  things  not  seen"  by  any  one  in  North  Carolina 
until  the  Holj^  Ghost,  the  Spirit  of  truth,  guided 
him  into  "all  truth"  about  it  and  revealed  to  his 
seer-eyes  the  "vision  splendid"  as  it  stands  today, 
the  supreme  glory  of  our  State,  always  to  increase  in 
splendor  as  the  ages  go  on.  In  this  work  and  others, 
like  Stephen,  with  "power"  from  above  he  "did  great 

239 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   MclVEB 


wonders  and  miracles  among  the  people,"  in  getting 
them  willingly  and  gladly  to  do  what  to  others  seemed 
impossible,  because  "they  were  not  able  to  resist  the 
wisdom  and  the  spirit  by  which  he  spake." 

"Full  of  the  Holy  Ghost."  We  often  looked  in 
wonder  and  amazement  at  the  tremendous  energy  and 
power  and  rapid  action  and  movement  of  the  man 
mentally  and  physically.  It  was  the  Holy  Ghost 
urging  him  on.  And  joyously  and  brilliantly  he 
obeyed  the  impulse  as  does  the  morning  star.  He 
wrought  his  "mighty  signs  and  wonders  by  the  power 
of  the  Spirit  of  God." 

At  the  trial  of  Stephen  "all  that  sat  in  the  council, 
looking  steadfastly  on  him  saw  his  face  as  it  had  been 
the  face  of  an  angel." 

And  so,  also,  many  thousands  of  us,  all  over  North 
Carolina,  have  seen  the  face  of  Mclver  shine  "as  it 
had  been  the  face  of  an  angel,"  when  he  talked  in 
private  and  publicly  of  the  great  vision  of  his  soul. 
The  man  or  woman  who  hasn't  seen  his  face  shine, 
when  they  heard  him  talk,  simply  and  sadly  had 
' '  eyes  that  see  not. ' ' 

And  we  have  no  possible  doubt  that,  when  the  silver 
cord  was  loosed  and  the  golden  bowl  was  broken  so 
suddenly  that  day,  on  the  great  Bryan  train,  like 
Stephen,  he  "looked  up  steadfastly  into  heaven"  and 
"saw  the  heavens  opened  and  the  Son  of  Man  stand- 
ing on  the  right  hand  of  God;"  and  that  the  "Lord 
Jesus  received  his  spirit, ' '  and  made  his  face  resplen- 
dent forever  by  the  light  of  the  Sun  of  Righteousness. 

240 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVEB 


Stephen  was  the  first  martyr  to  the  cause  of  Chris- 
tianity. Melver  was  the  first  martyr  to  the  cause 
of  education  for  women  in  North  Carolina.  His 
strenuosity  in  this  great  cause,  like  Stephen's  ardor, 
zeal,  fearless  and  defiant  courage  in  his  last  great 
speech  prematurely  produced  his  death  as  a  sacrifice 
on  the  altar  of  love  for  humanity. 

By  Stephen 's  death  all  the  disciples  were  ' '  scattered 
abroad  throughout  the  regions  of  Judea  and  Samaria ' ' 
— all  Palestine.  And  they  "went  everywhere  preaching 
the  word. ' '  Stephen 's  death  caused  a  widespread  and 
effective  "preaching  of  the  word"  that  would  not 
then,  at  a  critical  moment,  have  occurred  without  it. 
Mclver's  death  has  stirred  all  the  true  hearts  of 
North  Carolina  —  the  Palestine  of  America  —  for  our 
State  Normal  and  Industrial  College  as  nothing  else 
could  have  done.  It  has  caused  all  our  people  to  turn 
their  attention  and  fix  their  eyes  and  their  hearts  upon 
this  Institution  with  an  affection  and  tenderness  that 
McIver,  with  all  his  ' '  power, ' '  never  could  have  done, 
alive,  and  it  has  caused  them  to  "purpose  in  their 
hearts,"  as  nothing  else  could  have  done,  that  this 
State  Normal  shall  forever  be  loyally  supported  and 
sustained,  as  unique  in  itself  for  our  commonw^ealth, 
and  as  God's  own  work  through  His  great  child  — 
Charles  Duncan  McIver. 

And,  finally,  his  death  has  carried  the  fame  and 
the  glory  of  this  Institution  "abroad  throughout  all 
the  regions"  of  our  Republic  in  the  sweet,  soft  tones  of 
sorrow   and  mourning,    eternal   as   the   song   of  the 

241 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVEB 


morning  stars.  And  these  results  of  his  death,  which 
seemed  an  immeasurable  catastrophe  at  the  time,  are 
God's  benedictions  on  Dr.  Mclver  as  a  veritable  son 
of  His,  just  as  we  know  that  Stephen  was.  And  the 
fact  of  the  conformity  of  his  life  and  character  and 
death  to  the  life  and  character  and  death  of  one  whom 
God  selected  and  set  before  us  as  a  great  man  in  His 
sight,  is  God  Almighty's  certificate  to  us  of  Dr. 
Mclver 's  greatness  as  a  man  and  also  of  the  greatness 
of  his  work  for  North  Carolina. 

E.   D.   W.   CONNER 

In   North   Carolina  Day   Pamplet — Extract   from   Sketch 

Today  there  are  thousands  of  boys  and  girls  in  North 
Carolina  who  are  at  school,  and  looking  forward  to 
bright  futures,  because  Charles  D.  Mclver  was  their 
friend.  They  may  never  have  seen  him,  and  he  may 
never  have  seen  them;  but  he  loved  them;  worked 
for  them;  spoke  for  them;  wrote  for  them;  fought 
and  won  battles  for  them.  His  picture  ought  to  hang 
before  the  eyes  of  every  school  child  in  North  Caro- 
lina. His  name  ought  to  be  on  their  tongues.  They 
ought  to  know  by  heart  the  story  of  his  life.         *         * 

The  building  of  the  State  Normal  and  Industrial 
College  is  the  greatest  work  done  in  North  Carolina 
within  the  last  twenty-five  years.  If  Dr.  Mclver  had 
done  nothing  else,  this  work  alone  would  place  him 
among  the  greatest  men  of  North  Carolina.  But  he 
did  much  more.  Wherever  there  was  a  word  to  be 
spoken  in  the  cause  of  education,  especially  the  educa- 

242 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVEB 


tion  of  Southern  boys  and  girls,  his  voice  was  heard. 
"No  meeting  of  Southern  educators  seemed  complete 
without  him;  no  educational  program  satisfactory 
until  his  name  appeared  on  it."  *  *  * 

A  few  years  ago  several  patriotic  men  from  various 
sections  of  our  country,  who  are  interested  in  South- 
ern education,  came  together  and  formed  the  ' '  South- 
ern Education  Board."  Their  purpose  is  to  help 
improve  the  rural  schools  of  the  South.  Dr.  Mclver 
was  one  of  the  leading  members  of  this  board.  When 
the  board  decided  to  send  speakers  all  over  the  South 
to  talk  to  the  people  about  education,  they  put  Dr. 
Mclver  at  the  head  of  that  great  work.  Perhaps  no 
man  in  our  country  did  more  for  the  education  of 
the  boys  and  girls  on  Southern  farms  than  he  did. 

Not  only  did  he  work  himself,  but  he  persuaded 
many  others,  men  and  women,  to  fight  for  the  cause 
of  the  children.  Proud  of  the  fact  that  the  first  vote 
he  had  ever  cast  was  a  vote  for  local  taxation  for 
schools,  by  his  great  eloquence  and  earnestness  he  per- 
suaded thousands  of  others  to  follow  his  example. 
Local  taxation  for  longer  terms,  better  school-houses, 
better  teachers,  and  better  supervision  —  this  was 
his  plea.  Eloquently,  earnestly,  and  successfully  he 
pleaded  the  cause  of  the  backwoods  boy  and  the 
cross-roads  girl  when  they  had  no  other  powerful 
friend  to  help  them. 

The  news  of  Dr.  Mclver 's  death  carried  grief  to 
thousands  who  had  known  and  loved  him.  Through- 
out the  South,  in  remote  States  of  the  North  and  West, 

243 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVER 


men  who  had  been  encouraged  by  his  words  and 
inspired  by  his  spirit  felt  a  sudden  vacancy  in  their 
lives. 

In  his  own  beloved  State  grief  was  universal.  In 
every  corner  of  North  Carolina  the  news  was  heard 
with  bowed  head  and  moist  eyes.  Men  on  the  street 
corners,  women  in  the  school-room,  children  in  the 
remotest  rural  district  —  all  felt  that  the  State  had 
suffered  a  terrible  calamity.  A  partisan  press  in  the 
midst  of  a  heated  political  campaign  ceased  their 
warfare,  and  at  his  grave  united  in  eulogy  of  the  dead. 
"With  one  accord  they  mourned  his  death  as  the  loss 
of  the  State's  most  useful  citizen.  But  no  class  of 
our  people  felt  his  loss  so  deeply  as  the  teachers, 
whose  greatest  friend  he  was.  Hundreds  of  teachers 
caught  from  his  presence  a  spirit  that  sent  them  to 
their  difficult  tasks,  from  the  college  recitation-room 
to  the  humble  log-cabin  school-house  in  the  backwoods, 
with  hearts  afire  and  souls  inspired  to  give  their  best 
to  their  country  and  to  humanity,  caring  naught  for 
the  vast  personal  sacrifices  frequently  involved. 

MISS  MARY  FAISON  DE  VANE 
To  Duplin  County  Alumnae 

What  fortunate  women  we  have  been  to  have  had 
our  college  education  guided  by  him ! 

In  all  the  crowd  of  young  women  that  gathered  at 
the  Normal  College,  he  knew  the  characteristics  of 
every  one.  He  was  a  very  close  observer.  Little  in 
outward    appearance    or   character   escaped   his   eye. 

244 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVEB 


Coming  and  going  in  a  busy  career  he  would  invariably 
surprise  one  with  little  remarks  of  personal  interest, 
regarding  things  that  you  would  not  have  suspected 
he  knew  or  cared  about.  No  matter  was  too  small 
for  his  attention.  He  was  never  too  busy  to  help 
any  one.  There  were  some  things  he  always  impressed 
upon  the  students.  He  was  a  staunch  believer  in  the 
divine — in  every  man  and  woman.  How  many  times 
he  reminded  us  of  the  obligation  of  wealth  and  posi- 
tion !  Nothing  was  so  repulsive  to  him  as  any  assumed 
superiority  of  one  class  of  students  over  another.  So 
many  times  he  would  urge  that  there  be  no  clans  among 
us,  that  all  stand  together  for  the  good  we  could  do 
each  other  and  the  world,  reminding  us  that  both  the 
girl  without  so-called  wordly  advantages  and  the  girl 
with  them,  had  each  much  to  give  the  other.  He 
realized  that  in  society  woman  leads  rather  a  narrow 
life  regarding  classes  and  that  to  make  us  as  true  and 
good  as  we  should  be  we  must  know  more  of  all  people. 

How  many  times  he  talked  about  our  giving  our 
services !  He  urged  us  not  to  be  mere  consumers,  but 
to  give  back  to  the  world  all  that  we  could — not  like 
sponges  absorb  and  give  nothing. 

The  love  of  his  native  State  was  a  passion  with  him 
and  he  taught  us  to  love  her  as  our  mother  and  rever- 
ence her  accordingly — that  the  rich  and  poor  among 
us  should  give  all  we  have  to  develop  her  people  in 
every  way.  AVe  learned  that  no  matter  how  fortunate 
we  might  be  in  worldly  possessions,  we  owed  our  per- 
sonal effort  as  well  as  our  money  to  our  State. 

245 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVER 


So  many  times  he  spoke  to  ns  of  the  dignity  of 
labor  —  how  work  well  done  aided  the  world  in  every 
way. 

His  courage  and  endurance  inspired  every  one  with 
whom  he  came  in  contact.  Some  serious  situations 
confronted  the  College  during  his  administration  and 
in  none  of  these  did  the  students  fail  him.  He 
imparted  to  them  his  splendid  spirit  and  they  con- 
fronted not  only  difficulties  but  calamities  quietly  and 
courageously.  The  same  spirit  is  helping  them  to  fight 
the  battles  of  life  today. 

I  would  not  neglect  to  speak  of  his  brightness.  The 
time  has  not  come  with  me  when  I  can  speak  much 
of  this,  but  his  presence  gave  sunshine  wherever  he 
went. 

One  of  the  most  striking  characteristics  of  Dr. 
Mclver  was  his  high  regard  for  woman.  He  had  great 
faith  in  her  mentality  and  her  virtues.  His  w^as  not 
the  exterior  gallantry  in  trifles,  that  counts  with  some, 
but  the  true  gallantry  of  the  heart.  He  gave  his  life 
to  the  uplifting  of  woman,  for  he  believed  that  through 
her  would  come  the  uplift  of  the  State. 

Prof.  Claxton  said  in  his  telegram  to  Mrs.  IMcIver : 
"Thousands  whose  life  he  helped  will  mourn  his 
death."  We  know  four  thousand  whom  he  has  helped 
directly,  and  what  shall  we  say  of  those  numbers 
indirectly  aided?  He  was  our  champion  in  the  legis- 
lative halls  of  this  State,  and  who  will  plead  our  cause 
as  he? 


246 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVEB 


Our  noble  chief,  we  loved  him  in  life,  and  death 
cannot  take  his  spirit  from  us.  We  believe  that  his 
great  soul  is  safe  in  a  higher  world — that  ' '  somewhere, 
out  of  human  view,  whate'er  his  hands  are  set  to  do 
is  wrought  with  tumult  of  acclaim."  His  work  here 
is  bequeathed  to  us.  May  we  be  worthy  of  it  and 
equal  to  it. 

B.    W.   SPILLMAN 

In  Daily  Record 

In  the  death  of  President  Charles  D.  Mclver  there 
passed  away  a  man  easily  of  national  caliber  and 
whose  fame  had  gone  into  every  part  of  our  country 
where  men  keep  themselves  informed  regarding  the 
educational  movements  of  the  country. 

I  have  had  occasion  in  recent  years  to  visit  twelve 
state  universities  and  a  great  number  of  colleges. 
When  men  in  these  state  universities  and  state  col- 
leges discussed  matters  educational  in  North  Caro- 
lina, the  name  of  Mclver  was  almost  without  exception 
the  first  to  be  mentioned.  He  made  the  educational 
stock  of  North  Carolina  shoot  skyward  in  the  regions 
beyond  our  State  limits. 

He  made  his  own  place  and  stuck  to  it.  He  was 
loyal  to  his  own  State.  He  was  truly  an  American 
citizen.  Thousands  of  our  brightest  men  leave  our 
State  every  year.  It  is  natural.  The  man  ambitious 
to  do  great  things  naturally  moves  toward  the  centers 
of  population. 

The  boy  on  the  farm  moves  to  the  village;  later  to 
the  nearest  town ;  then  to  the  city.     Dr.  Mclver  did 

247 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVER 


not  thus  drift  to  the  communities  offering  the  oppor- 
tunity.    He  created  the  opportunity  and  was  master 
of  the  situation.    He  made  things  come  to  pass. 
He  did  things,  he  wrought  well,  he  rests. 

EEV.    MILLAED   A.    JENKINS 

In  Raleigh  News  and  Observer 

Dr.  Charles  Mclver  dead!  Can  it  be  possible 
that  this  great-brained,  great-hearted,  open-handed, 
s}Tiipathetic  man  is  gone  from  us  ?  Gone  so  suddenly, 
and  at  a  time  when  he  was  so  much  needed  ?  No  man 
among  us  could  be  missed  more.  The  girls  struggling 
for  an  education,  who  always  found  in  him  an 
interested  and  sympathetic  friend,  will  miss  him.  The 
boys,  ambitious  to  make  something  of  their  lives  that 
will  count  for  God  and  the  world's  good,  who  never 
sought  his  kindly  advice  and  helping  hand  in  vain, 
will  miss  him.  Every  man  who  has  ever  come  in  con- 
tact with  his  great  and  inspiring  personality  will  miss 
him. 

While  our  hearts  go  out  to  the  stricken  home,  and 
the  great  school  which  his  efforts  founded  and  his 
untiring  labors  established  until  it  is  now  the  pride 
of  every  loyal  North  Carolinian,  it  is,  moreover,  a 
sorrow  in  which  all  have  our  personal  part,  for  Dr. 
Melver  was  ' '  minister  to  every  man. ' ' 

Yes,  Mr.  Editor,  as  one  who,  in  the  younger  days, 
when  the  way  seemed  dark  and  discouraging,  found 
in  him  a  struggling  boy's  friend,  I  gladly  respond  to 

248 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVEB 


the  request  to  add  my  word  of  tribute  to  his  honored 
and  blessed  memory. 

It  was  fourteen  years  ago.  He  was  conducting  an 
institute  at  Asheville,  N.  C.  I  was  there  as  a  young 
student,  wondering  if  I  should  give  up  the  fight,  or 
press  on.  I  attended  every  one  of  his  lectures.  It  was 
a  blessed  ministry  to  me.  I  have  felt  the  power  of  his 
life  from  that  day  till  this,  inspiring  me  to  make  the 
most  of  every  opportunity,  and  to  live,  not  for  selfish 
ambition,  but  for  the  little  I  might  be  able  to  add 
towards  making  the  world  brighter  and  better  for 
others. 

I  shall  never  forget  his  gentle  spirit,  his  whole- 
some optimism,  his  thoroughly  Christian  enthusiasm, 
his  marked  desire  to  fix  in  the  minds  of  the  young 
men  and  women  who  sat  under  him  high  ideals  of 
life,  the  keen  interest  he  showed  in  the  individual, 
helping  him  on  the  road  to  higher  aspirations,  and 
especially  shall  I  never  forget  how  he  took  me  by  the 
hand  as  kindly  as  a  father,  and  spoke  to  me  words  of 
encouragement  which  burned  into  my  youthful  soul, 
gave  me  a  new  conception  of  life,  and  filled  me  with 
resolutions,  which  not  only  strengthened  me  then, 
but  have  had  their  share  in  helping  me  in  many  a 
trying  hour  since. 

Dr.  Mclver  never  knew  how  much  it  meant  to  me 
then,  nor  how  much  it  has  meant  to  me  ever  since. 
He  never  knew  that  he  really  taught  me  what  it  meant 
to  live.  But  this  is  only  one  incident.  There  are 
hundreds  of  others  who  might  tell  the  same  story. 

249 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVEB 


He  had  but  one  purpose,  and  to  that  purpose  the  great 
and  good  man  consecrated  his  life — that  of  inspiring 
the  youth  of  the  land  to  lofty  thinking  and  noble 
living.  His  has  been  the  guiding  spirit  that  has  led 
many  a  young  man  and  woman  away  from  a  meaning- 
less life  to  a  life  of  usefulness  and  happiness. 

One  of  his  favorite  quotations  was:  "If  we  work 
upon  marble  it  will  perish;  if  we  engrave  upon  brass 
time  will  destroy  it ;  if  we  rear  monuments  they  will 
crumble  to  diLst  —  but  if  we  work  upon  the  tablets  of 
human  hearts,  they  will  brighten  to  all  eternity." 

This  Charles  Duncan  Mclver  did,  honor  to  his  name. 

No,  he  is  not  dead.  It  can  not  be.  Such  as  he  can 
never  die.  He  took  heaven  at  a  bound,  and  now  lives 
in  that  new  life,  which,  while  here  he  lived  in  the  faith 
of  it,  he  so  beautifully  exemplified.  And  though  he 
walks  no  more  among  us,  though  no  longer  we  hear 
his  voice  pleading  for  the  better  education  of  the  youth 
of  our  land,  he  lives.  Charles  Duncan  Mclver  lives  — 
lives  in  the  hearts  of  the  students  he  taught ;  lives  in 
the  hearts  of  the  friends  he  cherished;  lives  in  the 
hearts  of  his  fellow  laborers  for  a  better  citizenry  for 
our  noble  State  —  yes,  lives  in  the  hearts  of  all  North 
Carolinians. 

He  has  built  his  own  monument,  and  one  which 
time  shall  not  be  able  to  destroy.  We  are  the  poorer 
for  his  untimely  going,  but  we  are  much  the  richer 
for  his  having  lived.  How  appropriate  the  words  of 
Psalm  21:4 — "He  asked  life  of  Thee.  Thou  gavest 
it  him,  even  length  of  days  for  ever  and  ever. ' ' 

250 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVEB 


J.  B.  CARLYLE 

In  Wake  Forest  Student 

Few  men  have  exerted  a  larger  or  more  enduring 
influence  on  the  life  of  North  Carolina  than  Dr.  C. 
D.  Mclver,  whose  useful  career  was  ended  by  sudden 
death  on  the  17th  of  September  last.  *  *  He 
began  his  career,  as  many  another  country  youth  has 
done,  in  the  humble  work  of  a  teacher.  But  to  him 
the  tasks  of  the  teacher  were  radiant  with  the  power 
of  a  transforming  vision.  The  right  of  the  child  to 
the  best  possible  training  was  burned  into  his  soul 
with  the  urgency  of  a  heavenly  call.  Canvassing  the 
State,  holding  county  institutes,  he  urged  the  people 
to  meet  their  duty  in  the  education  of  their  children. 
Believing  the  supreme  educational  need  of  the  State 
to  be  better  facilities  for  the  training  of  women,  he 
directed  his  efforts  to  the  establishment  of  an  institu- 
tion to  meet  this  defect.  The  State  Normal  and  Indus- 
trial College  for  women  at  Greensboro  was  the  result 
of  these  efforts.  In  the  beneficent  work  and  high 
ideals  of  this  noble  institution  the  spirit  of  Dr.  Mclver 
is  fittingly  embodied.  But  no  one  institution  could 
limit  the  interests  and  activities  of  a  life  on  fire  with 
a  passion  for  the  education  of  all  the  children.  Per- 
haps to  him  as  to  no  other  is  due  credit  for  the 
adoption  of  the  principle  of  the  local  tax  in  North 
Carolina's  public  educational  system  — a  principle 
which  has  been  the  keynote  in  the  forward  educational 
movement  of  recent  years. 

251 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVER 


With  the  vision  of  a  seer  and  the  enthusiasm  of 
the  crusaders  of  old,  and  yet  with  the  cool,  calculating 
wisdom  of  a  statesmanship  that  laid  foundations  for 
the  future,  he  planned  and  agitated  and  persevered 
toward  the  goal  of  a  commonwealth  uplifted,  broad- 
ened and  brightened  by  the  general  diffusion  of 
knowledge.  He  was  in  the  best  sense  an  educational 
statesman. 

Loyal  friends  will  rear  a  bronze  statue  in  his  mem- 
ory at  the  institution  which  he  builded  and  loved, 
but  his  real  monument  will  stand  perennial  in  the 
grateful  hearts  of  little  children  whose  lives  will  be 
enriched  and  brightened  through  agencies  originating 
in  his  fertile  brain  and  benevolent  heart. 

The  historian  of  the  future,  recording  the  names  of 
men  who  have  given  lustre  to  Carolina's  fame  and 
made  large  contributions  to  the  enrichment  of  the 
life  of  her  people,  will  place  in  the  front  rank  the 
name  of  Charles  Duncan  Mclver. 


252 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVEB 


CHARLES    DUNCAN    McIVER 
A  KNIGHT  OP  YESTERDAY 

List  well  to  me  and  I  to  thee 

Will  sing  a  wondrous  lay, 
Of  a  good  fight  made  by  a  knight — 

A   knight   of  yesterday. 

No   glittering   armor   did  he   wear, 

No   shining  blade   he  bore; 
But  just  as  valiantly  he  fought 

As  those  good  knights  of  yore, 
Who  in  the  days  of  chivalry, 

Had  nobly  gone  before. 

His   foe  was  not  of  humankind, 

His  fight  was  not  with  man. 
But  'gainst  the  power  of  Ignorance 

He  boldly  raised  his  hand, 
And  right  and  left  did  smite  amain, 

And  fearlessly  did  stand. 

He  strove  that  every  little  child, 

Whate'er  its  lot  might  be. 
Should  not  in  mental  darkness  dwell, 

But  look  abroad  and  see 
The  beauteous  light  that  knowledge  gives, 

And  giving,  makes  man  free. 

And,  God  be  praised,  the  yielding  foe 

He  ever  backward  drove. 
Nor  turned   aside   nor  e'er  forgot 

The  end   for  which  he  strove, 
Strong  in  the  strength  that  always  comes 

From  an  abiding  love. 


253 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVEB 


His  life  is  done,  his  race  is  run, 

No  more   for  him  the  fray; 
But  in  his  sleep  I  pray  God  keep 

This  knight  of  yesterday. 

— R.  D.  Douglas,  in  State  Normal  Magazine. 

TO   DR.   C.   D.    McIVER 

Strong  son  of  great  old  Tar  Heel  State, 
For  you  in  grief  we  bow  the  head 
And  place  your  body  with  the  dead — 

Oh,  thus  'tis  ordered  us  by  Fate. 

Well  hast  thou  wrought  within  the  space 
Allotted  thee  within  the  sphere 
In  which  we  move  from  year  to  year. 

Each   striving   by   kind   Heaven's   grace. 

Where   once   was   only   virgin   soil 

Now  stands  a  monument   to  thee 

For  education  of  the  free — 
A   glorious  product   of  thy  toil. 

There  is  a  higher  realm  for  thee 
Unknown  as  yet  to  mortal  ken, 
Thy  spirit  takes  its  flight  from  men 

To   live   throughout   Eternity. 

— G.,  in  The  Trinity  Archive. 


254 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVEB 


CHAELES   D.   McIVER 

Yesterday  he  stood,  master  of  men, 
Strong  in  vigorous  manhood,   crowned 
With  every  grace  of  mind.    His  soul's 
Clear  eye,   his   steady   hand   alike 
Knew   duty's  call.     His   thought,  his  life 
Was  ours,  patriot,  teacher,  friend. 

Daughters,  who  weep  midst  a  thousand  weeping  women, 
Son,  whose  father  shall  be  revered   by  myriad  sons, 
Wife,  whose  faithful,  happy  days  empowered  his, 
Thy  grief  is  ours;  Light  he  gave  to  us, 
Would  our  bleeding  hearts  could  strengthen  yours. 
Whose   loss  is   ours   and  all's. 

— M.  J.,  in  Raleigh  News  and  Observer. 


CHARLES  DUNCAN  McIVER 

Rest,  son  of  Carolina,  sweetly  rest, 

The   boon  long  self -denied   now  meetly  thine; 

Obedience  yield  we  to  the  call  Divine, 

Our  comfort  this:— The  Master  knoweth  best. 

He  knoweth  best,  yet  sore  we  feel  our  need: 

So  great  the  void,  we  may  not  smile  nor  sing, 

But,  bowed  in  grief,   our   altar-gift  we   bring 

And  mid  our  tears  look  mutely  up  and  plead. 

Grant  us  -with  him  to  see  where  honor  lies, 

To  build  for  God  and  man,  and  not  for  self. 

To  face  the  future  with  untroubled  eyes 

Intent  on  lasting  service,  not  on  pelf. 

Thus  life  lives  on  its  purpose  to  fulfil 

When  weary  eyelids  close  and  tired  hands  grow  still. 

— W.  C.  Smith,  in  State  Normal  Magazine. 
255 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVER 


TO  DR.  McIVEE 

Sometimes  a  man   dies   old  and   full  of  years, 
And  men  say:     "It  is  best  that  he  is  dead, 
His  work  is   done;    his  labors  now  are  past, 
His   influence,  was  good,   and  well   he   lived. 
But  he  had  weary  grown  of  earth,  his  place 
Was  filled  by  others.      'Tis  best  that  he  is  gone." 

:  Sometimes   a   man   dies  young  —  sometimes   before 
He  reaches  manhood,  or  plans  his  work, 
And  men  say:     "  'Tis  sad  that  he  is  dead. 
His  work  is  scarce   begun,   if  he   had   lived, 
What  influence  for  good  he  might  have  had! 
He'd  but  begun  to  live:     'Tis  sad  that  he  should  die." 

But  sometimes  in  the  midst  of  life's  hard  strife 
When  he  has  reached  his  prime,  a  man  may  die, 
When  all  his  work  is  planned  and  pointed  out 
To   thousands.     When  he   has    'complished  much 
And  shown  to   others   how  to  work   and  pray, 
And  carry  on   the  work  which  he   so  well  begun. 

Then   men   will  say:      "A   noble   man  is   dead. 
He  lived  his  years  so  well  that  others   may 
Take  up  the  work  he  left,  and  bless  the  man 
Who  pointed  out  such  noble  work  to  do. 
His   influence   was   felt   by   all   he   knew 
And  by  all  who  knew  some  other  who-m  he  knew, 
And  will  reach  down  time's  tide  through  many  years, 
And   bless   the   lives   of   thousands  yet   unborn." 

And  such  a  man  is  he  of  whom  I  write — 
A  man  whose  mighty  heart  has  ceased  to  beat. 
And  though  he  died  when  life  was  at  its  height. 
And  when  it  seemed  that  he  was  needed  most. 
He  lived  illimitable  years  in  deeds  and  worth. 
And  by  these  things  a  man  is  truly  great. 

256 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVEB 


And   while   we   mourn   his   loss    we   can  but   feel 
That  heaven  was  kind  in  lending  us  a  little  while 
One  of  the  noblest.     And  could  we  see  beyond, 
We   might   behold   him   in   some   fairer   clime, 
A   grander   work   pursuing,   while   he    waits 
For  those   he  loved  and  helped  to  follow  on. 


— Helen  C.  Hicks,  in  State  Normal  Magazine. 


257 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVEB 


CHAELES    DUNCAN    McIVER 

William  C.  Smith 

From  the  Author's  sketch  appearing  in  the  Biographical  History 

of  North  Carolina.      Reprinted  here,  with  changes,  through  the 

courtesy  of  the  publisher,  Mr.  Charles  L.  Van  Noppen 

One  who  labored  steadfastly  for  the  uplift  of  his 
fellowmen — such,  in  brief,  is  the  life-history  of  Charles 
Duncan  Mclver.  The  spirit  of  unselfishness  which 
animated  him,  his  whole-souled  devotion  to  noble 
endeavors,  the  efficiency  of  his  labors  and  their  endur- 
ing results  —  are  they  not  written  in  tlie  foregoing 
tributes  from  press  and  people?  Numerous  though 
these  tributes  and  various  the  sentiments  expressed, 
the  testimony  as  to  his  efficiency  is  unanimous,  —  the 
verdict  is  one :  He  was  the  State 's  most  useful  citizen. 
Thus  the  people  whom  he  served  bear  record,  and  we 
know  that  their  record  is  true.  It  but  remains  to  give 
in  outline  the  simple  story  of  his  useful  life. 

Born  September  27,  1860,  on  a  farm  near  Sanford, 
in  Moore  County,  North  Carolina,  Charles  D.  Mclver 
early  learned  some  of  life's  most  wholesome  lessons. 
Economy,  self-denial  and  bodily  toil  were  his  in  early 
youth  and  they  continued  to  abide  with  him  in  the  years 
that  followed. 

The  region  around  what  is  now  the  town  of  Sanford 
was  peopled  largely  by  settlers  whose  ancestors  came 
from  the  Highlands  of  Scotland.  Evander  Mclver, 
when  eight  years  old,  bade  farewell  to  his  rugged 
birthplace,  the  Isle  of  Skye,  and  with  his  father  made 
his  new  home  in  the  pleasant  sand  hills  of  North 

258 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVEB 


Carolina.  In  his  son,  Matthew  Henry,  the  father  of 
Charles  D.  Mclver,  were  exemplified  the  many  ster- 
ling traits  that  history  shows  to  be  characteristic  of 
the  Highland  Scotch.  Among  these  traits  may  be 
mentioned  earnest  piety,  devotion  to  liberty,  respect 
for  law  and  order,  and  love  for  education.  A  success- 
ful farmer,  a  respected  elder  in  the  Presbyterian 
Church,  a  useful  and  influential  citizen,  he  was  an 
admirable  type  of  that  class  upon  which  in  greatest 
measure  rests  the  stability  of  state  and  society.  A 
similar  description  applies  to  the  maternal  ancestors 
of  Charles  D.  Mclver,  who  were  of  Scotch  and  English 
descent.  To  his  mother,  whose  maiden  name  was 
Harrington,  and  who  on  her  maternal  side  is  descended 
from  the  McNeills  of  Scotland,  the  son  ascribed  the 
formative  and  directive  influences  of  his  early  years. 
No  small  measure  of  the  fruit  of  his  useful  life  was 
of  seed  of  her  careful  sowing.  Leal  and  true  —  these 
Scotch  and  English  ancestors.  Decided  in  their  convic- 
tions on  questions  of  church  and  state,  yet  tolerant 
and  charitable;  patriotically  responding  to  the  call  of 
the  South  in  her  hour  of  need,  and  bravely  giving 
themselves  to  the  rebuilding  of  waste  places  in  the 
dark  years  that  followed;  fearers  of  God,  and  sup- 
porters of  schools  and  churches : — it  is  worth  something 
to  be  born  in  a  community  of  which  such  men  are 
citizens  and  to  reckon  them  among  one's  neighbors 
and  personal  friends. 

Amid  the   thrifty  and  orderly  influences  of  this 
Christian  home  and  community,  in  attendance  upon 

259 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVEB 


the  excellent  private  schools  of  the  neighborhood,  and 
in  the  daily  performance  of  all  the  various  labors 
that  fall  to  the  lot  of  the  healthy  farmer  boy,  the 
subject  of  this  sketch  spent  the  first  seventeen  years 
of  his  life.  Here  were  laid  the  foundations  of  that 
vigorous  health  which  enabled  him  to  stand  so  well  the 
mental  and  physical  strain  of  later  years,  and  here 
were  implanted  that  love  for  man  and  nature,  and  that 
intelligent  and  sympathetic  appreciation  of  the  needs 
of  our  rural  commonwealth,  which  proved  valuable 
forces  in  fitting  him  to  become  our  most  successful 
leader  in  the  great  cause  of  universal  education. 

The  fall  of  1877  found  our  farmer  lad  enrolled 
as  a  student  of  the  University  of  North  Carolina. 
Mindful  of  the  fact  that  there  were  other  and  younger 
members  of  his  family  to  be  educated,  and  preferring 
to  meet  his  own  expenses,  he  secured  the  necessary 
funds  through  personal  notes  given  to  a  near  kinsman 
and  by  his  vacation  earnings  on  the  farm.  Here  he 
spent  four  profitable  years,  graduating  in  1881  with 
the  degree  of  Bachelor  of  Arts.  In  scholarship  he 
took  high  rank,  leading  his  class  in  Greek  and  French, 
and  sharing  with  three  others  the  honors  in  Latin. 
He  entered  heartily  into  the  new  and  Vvnder  life, 
studied  men  as  well  as  books,  and  soon  became  a  leader 
among  his  fellows.  Among  the  students  in  attendance 
upon  the  University  at  this  period  were  some  whose 
later  records  are  not  unfamiliar  to  the  people  of  North 
Carolina,  as  the  names  of  Aycock,  Alderman,  Dough- 
ton,  Gattis,  Murphy,  Strange  and  Joyner  will  indicate. 

260 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVEB 


The  ties  here  formed  lasted  through  life.  His  love 
for  Alma  Mater  was  beautiful  to  behold.  She  has 
enrolled  no  more  loyal  son.  In  the  busy  later  years 
he  permitted  no  engagement  to  be  made  that  would 
prevent  his  attendance  upon  the  annual  commence- 
ment exercises,  and,  with  one  unavoidable  exception, 
he  Avas  present  at  every  commencement  during  the 
twenty-five  years  that  followed  his  graduation.  He 
often  spoke  of  the  debt  of  gratitude  he  owed  to  his 
instructors,  sajdng  of  one  yet  living,  "No  man  can 
come  under  his  influence  without  being  imbued  to 
some  extent  with  State  pride  and  tolerance  and  a 
longing  to  be  of  some  service  to  so  good  a  State  and 
so  great  a  people."  And  again,  in  referring  to  this 
period  of  his  life,  he  is  quoted  as  saying:  "Another 
man  to  whom  I  am  greatly  indebted  is  my  professor 
of  Latin,  whose  stimulating  genius  inculcates  in 
all  the  youth  he  touches  self-reliance  and  the 
audacity  to  undertake  large  tasks."  State  pride,  a 
longing  to  be  of  some  service,  the  audacity  to  under- 
take large  tasks, — how  well  young  Mclver  learned 
these  lessons ! 

Undecided  as  yet  upon  his  life  work,  he  turned  to 
the  profession  of  teaching,  and  in  the  fall  of  1881 
became  assistant  in  a  private  school  in  Durham, 
North  Carolina.  His  ability  won  quick  recognition, 
and  in  the  spring  of  the  same  scholastic  year  he  was 
made  principal  of  the  school.  In  May,  1882,  he  cast 
his  first  vote,  this  being  in  favor  of  a  local  tax  for 
the  support  of  the  Durham  public  school  system.    The 


261 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVEB 


fact  is  worthy  of  record  in  that  as  a  private  school 
man  he  voted  for  a  measure  which,  though  for  the 
public  good,  seemed  decidedly  against  his  own  personal 
interests.  ~fj  He  assisted  in  the  establishment  of  the 
Durham  Gi-aded  Schools,  and,  after  serving  them  as 
principal  for  one  and  one-half  years,  resigned  to  accept 
a  similar  position  and  to  perform  a  similar  work  in 
the  schools  of  Winston.  Associated  with  him  in  the 
organization  of  these  latter  schools  was  Dr.  Calvin  H. 
Wiley,  at  that  time  chairman  of  the  board  of  education. 
It  cannot  be  doubted  that  from  this  famous  school  man 
the  young  teacher  learned  much  that  served  to  quicken 
his  interest  in  the  educational  life  of  his  State.  Here, 
too,  in  the  person  of  one  of  his  assistants,  he  was 
destined  to  find  a  co-worker  who  thenceforth  became 
the  inspiration  and  benediction  of  his  life.  At 
Winston  he  remained  from  February,  1884,  until  Sep- 
tember, 1886,  at  which  time  he  accepted  a  call  to 
Peace  Institute,  Raleigh,  North  Carolina,  where,  as 
principal  of  the  literary  department,  he  remained  until 
June,  1889. 

In  the  meantime  he  had  fully  decided  upon  his  life- 
work,  and  rejecting  attractive  offers  of  partnerships 
in  business  and  law,  strove  to  make  himself  master  of 
his  chosen  profession  —  teaching.  He  put  himself  in 
touch'  with  the  quickening'  forces  of  the  time,  and 
sought  to  add  to  the  strength  of  the  old,  the  inspira- 
tion of  the  new  era.  Visits  of  inspection  were  made 
to  schools  of  promise,  and  conferences  sought  with 
able  educational  leaders.    The  ideas  thus  obtained  were 


262 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVER 


accepted,  modified  or  rejected,  as  the  actual  work  of 
the  schoolroom  proved  them  valuable  and  practical 
or  the  reverse.  He  early  associated  himself  with  the 
North  Carolina  Teachers '  Assembly  as  one  of  its  active 
members  and  supporters.  The  vacation  periods  of 
every  year  were  devoted  to  work  in  county  institutes 
and  in  State  summer  schools.  In  addition  to  his 
labors  as  teacher  and  lecturer,  he  served  as  principal 
of  the  State  Summer  Normal  School  at  Sparta.  While 
thus  availing  himself  of  the  means  at  hand  to  promote 
the  interests  of  public  education,  he  M^as  quick  to 
realize  the  inadequacy  of  the  work  as  then  conducted. 

"The  majority  of  teachers,"  he  reports  in  1887,  "cannot 
go  a  great  distance  to  attend  normal  schools.  Small  salaries 
and  short  school  terms  render  it  in  many  cases  impossible. 
Efficient  county  institutes  should  be  brought  within  the  reach 
of  every  teacher  in  the  State."  * 

Here  we  have  presented  in  few  words  the  lines  of 
future  educational  reform.  Institutes  within  the  reach 
of  every  teacher — will  he  do  aught  to  accomplish  y 
this?  Larger  salaries  for  teachers,  a  longer  school 
term,  with  the  increased  appropriations  which  these 
imply  and  the  higher  professional  equipment  and  bet- 
ter service  which  they  in  turn  demand  —  will  he  do 
more  than  call  the  attention  of  the  State  Superin- 
tendent to  these  needs?    But  we  must  not  anticipate. 

To   the   urgent   need   of  better   qualified   teachers  ^ 

those  interested  in  education  now  began  to  give  earnest        v 


*  Bieunial    report    of    State    Superintendent    of    Public    Instruction 
1887-'88,  page   40. 

263 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVER 


attention.  Through  the  agency  of  the  Teachers* 
Assembly,  petitions  for  the  establishment  of  a  normal 
training  school  were  several  times  presented  to  the 
Legislature  —  but  without  effect.  Feeling  that  more 
active  steps  should  be  taken,  Charles  D.  Mclver,  in 
1889,  made  a  stirring  speech  before  his  fellow  educa- 
tors at  their  annual  meeting,  which  resulted  in  the 
appointment  of  a  committee,  of  which  he  was  made 
chairman,  to  appear  before  the  Legislature  at  its  next 
session  and  personally  present  and  urge  the  adoption 
of  a  bill  for  the  establishment  of  a  training  school 
for  teachers. 

On  a  day  agreed  upon  the  members  of  the  committee 
appeared  before  the  General  Assembly,  presented  the 
bill  and  advocated  its  passage.  The  chairman,  being 
at  the  time  a  resident  of  Raleigh,  was  in  a  position 
.  to  labor  continuously  in  behalf  of  this  measure  of 
which  henceforth  he  was  the  recognized  champion. 
He  met  with  little  encouragement  and  with  much 
opposition,  but  so  convincingly  did  he  press  home  his 
arguments  in  personal  conferences  with  members  of 
the  Legislature,  that,  to  the  surprise  of  all,  the  bill 
passed  the  Senate  by  a  large  majority  and  failed  in 
the  House  by  only  a  few  votes. 

Although  the   General   Assembly   did  not  at  this 
time  provide  for  the  establishment  of  a  State  Normal 
\y  College,     it    wisely    transferred    the    appropriation 

hitherto  devoted  to  the  eight  Summer  Normal  Schools 
to  the  maintenance  of  a  system  of  county  institutes. 
Thus   provision  was  made   for   carrying   into   effect 

264 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVEB 


the  recommendation  urged  by  our  Sparta  normal 
school  Superintendent  of  bringing  institutes  within 
reach  of  every  teacher  in  the  State.  Charles  D.  Mclver 
and  Edwin  A.  Alderman,  then  superintendent  of  the 
Goldsboro  Schools,  were  induced  to  take  charge  of 
this  work,  and  were  therefore  appointed  State  Insti- 
tute Conductors. 

Now  began  one  of  the  most  important  campaigns 
ever  conducted  in  the  State,  and  perhaps  one  of  the 
most  interesting  in  the  history  of  public  education. 
For  three  years,  from  September,  1889,  to  September, 
1892,  winter  and  summer,  these  men  preached  a 
crusade  in  behalf  of  universal  education.  In  every 
county  and  in  every  important  city  and  town  in  the 
State,  by  lectures,  by  teaching,  by  public  addresses, 
by  conferences  with  teachers  and  school  committeemen, 
by  talks  with  farmers,  editors,  county  officials  and 
politicians  —  by  every  approved  method,  in  short, 
known  to  advocate  and  reformer  —  the  work  was 
diligently  and  vigorously  prosecuted.  The  good 
results  of  their  labors  are  with  us  today,  and  will 
continue  to  bless  the  commonwealth  when  we,  our 
children,  and  our  children's  children  have  finished 
life's  appointed  lessons  and  put  the  books  away. 

"My  work,"  declared  the  man  whose  career  we  are 
following,  "is  conducted  with  a  view  to  stimulating  and 
encouraging  the  teachers,  and  to  making  friends  to  the 
cause    of    public    education    among    the    people.       *       *       * 

"My  institutes  last  five  days.  The  first  four  days  are 
devoted  mainly  to  the  professional  work  of  the  teacher. 
Lectures  are   delivered  on  the   different  branches   taught  in 

265 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVEB 


the  public  schools;  on  school  organization,  discipline,  methods 
of  teaching,  and  methods  of  studying;  on  school  law,  and 
on  the  proper  use  of  the  books  on  the  State  list.  Friday, 
the  fifth  day,  is,  in  a  special  sense,  'People's  Day.'  The 
school  committeemen  and  people  generally  arc  urged  to 
attend,  and  the  exercises  are  arranged  with  a  view  to 
interesting  and  instructing  them  in  the  work  of  public 
education.  Besides  various  other  exercises,  a  special  address 
is  made  on  that  day,  showing  the  necessity  for  education 
by  taxation,  and  answering  objections  to  it  commonly  heard 
among    the    people." 

Amid  the  arduous  duties  of  his  campaign  work  the 
necessity  of  a  training  school  for  teachers  was  not 
forgotten.  In  truth,  this  may  be  reckoned  one  of  the 
means  on  which  more  and  more  he  came  to  rely  as 
promising  most  surely  to  secure  the  great  end  he  had 
in  view — universal  education.  Another  problem  now 
presented  itself,  namely,  where  should  volunteers  for 
this  needful  service  be  found  in  largest  numbers,  who, 
when  trained,  would  make  the  best  and  most  sympa- 
thetic instructors  of  the  State 's  children  ?  Wider  and 
more  varied  experience  and  a  deeper  insight  into  the 
real  sources  of  the  mental  and  moral  progress  of  the 
human  race  convinced  him  that  his  syllogism,  which 
before  had  been  —  Education  a  State  necessity,  the 
teacher  the  chief  means  of  education ;  therefore,  the 
teacher  a  primary  object  of  State  concern, — might  be 
carried  logically  further  and  made  to  read:  Univer- 
sal education  a  necessity,  woman  the  universal  educa- 
tor; therefore,  the  education  of  woman  the  founda- 
tion of  human  progress. 

266 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVER 


This  advocacy  of  the  more  liberal  education  of 
woman  is  shown  not  only  in  his  public  addresses  of 
that  period,  but  in  his  written  reports  and  recommen- 
dations to  the  State  Superintendent  of  Public  Instruc- 
tion. His  report  of  June  30,  1890,  contains  this  sig- 
nificant utterance  relating  to  the  establishment  of  a  ^ 
State  Normal  College :  / 

' '  To  those  who  are  still  skeptical  as  to  the  wisdom  of  the 
training  school  movement,  I  would  add  one  more  reason 
why  the  school  should  be  established  and  be  liberally  sup- 
ported by  the  State.  Under  our  present  system  of  higher 
and  collegiate  education,  a  white  girl,  unless  her  father 
is  comparatively  wealthy,  cannot,  as  a  rule,  get  the  scholar- 
ship necessary  to  make  her  a  first-rate  teacher.  Her  brother 
can  get  it  at  the  University  and  Colleges  of  the  State, 
because  in  those  institutions  about  three-fourths  of  his 
tuition  is  paid  by  the  State  and  the  churches.  Up  to  the 
present  time  the  State  and  our  leading  churches  have 
adopted  the  suicidal  policy  of  refusing  to  help  educate 
white  girls,  except  in  the  public  schools.  *  *  * 
The  girls  who  would,  if  prepared,  make  the  best  teachers 
for  the  State's  children,  cannot  even  get  the  scholarship 
necessary  to  become  teachers.  One  of  the  results  of  this  is 
that  two-thirds  of  our  public  school  teachers  are  men, 
whereas  two-thirds,  at  least,  ought  to  be  women.  The  State 
appropriates  nothing  for  the  training  of  white  v/omeu, 
except  the  $4,000  for  the  institutes.  It  appropriates  $8,000 
to  the  training  of  colored  teachers  and  uses  it  in  helping 
both  sexes.  In  this  way  the  State  appropriates  as  much 
to  train  one  negro  woman  as  it  does  to  train  four  white 
women,  for  there  are  about  twice  as  many  white  as  negro 
women  in  the  State.  By  the  help  of  the  State,  the  churches 
and  the  philanthropists,  a  fair  opportunity  of  getting  an 
education    is    given    to    every    white    boy,    negro    boy    and 

267 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   MclVEE 


negro  girl  in  North  Carolina.  Neither  of  the  three  has  to 
pay  more  than  one-fifth  of  the  expenses  of  tuition;  but  the 
white  girl  must  pay  for  every  cent  of  hers.  If  the  train- 
ing school  shall  be  established  for  white  girls,  it  will  make 
education  possible  to  thousands  of  girls  who,  under  present 
conditions,  must  grow  up  in  a  state  of  ignorance  and 
dependence  worse  than  almost  any  other  form  of  slavery. 
In  addition,  North  Carolina  will  secure  teachers  better 
than  she  has  ever  had  and  who  will  bless  her  because  she 
has  blessed  them." 

His  report  thus  emphasizes  the  justice  and  the  wis- 
dom of  State  provision  for  the  higher  education  of 
white  women.  An  objection  urged  against  the  former 
bill  for  the  establishment  of  a  teachers '  training  school 
was  its  co-educational  feature.  In  1891  Mr.  Mclver 
and  his  friend  and  associate,  Mr,  Alderman,  were 
again  before  the  Legislature  with  a  bill  for  the  estab- 
lishment of  the  much-needed  institution,  but  this  time 
with  the  co-educational  feature  omitted.  The  bill 
passed  almost  without  opposition,  and  thus,  more  than 
one  hundred  years  after  the  University  was  chartered, 
the  State  established  its  College  for  women.  Of  this 
College  the  Board  of  Directors,  consisting  of  one  mem- 
ber from  each  Congres-sional  district,  elected  Charles 
Duncan  Mclver  President. 

Now  it  was  that  this  people's  servant  sought  to  build 
a  people's  college,  not  a  thing  of  brick  and  stone, 
but  an  institution  both  worthy  of  and  representative 
of  the  State  that  gave  it  birth.  It  should  be  an  open 
door  of  opportunity  to  every  worthy  white  girl,  how- 
ever poor,  however  rich,  within  the  borders  of  the 

268 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVER 


Commonwealth  —  a  means  of  fitting  her  for  good  and 
useful  citizenship.  A  woman's  college  for  North  Caro- 
lina women  it  should  be,  characterized  by  sound  learn- 
ing, liberal  culture,  earnest  living  and  high  thinking, 
but  not  by  narrow  specialization  on  the  one  hand,  nor 
by  a  profitless  striving  for  showy  accomplishments 
on  the  other.  The  best  that  a  State  could  give  should 
be  theirs;  the  best  that  educated  women  could  give 
should  be  the  State's.  In  this  spirit  was  the  North 
Carolina  State  Normal  and  Industrial  College  con- 
ceived, and  in  this  spirit  the  Institution  lived,  grew  and 
labored,  presided  over,  inspired,  guided  and  led,  by 
one  who  freely  gave  to  it  all  that  man  may  give. 

It  is  doubtful  if  any  other  public  institution  was 
ever  in  so  true  a  sense  the  product  of  the  unselfish 
love  and  labor  of  one  man.  As  to  him  in  largest 
measure  were  owing  its  conception  and  creation,  so  to 
him  were  due  its  internal  and  external  workings,  the 
policy  which  characterized  it,  and  the  success  which  it 
achieved.  And  this  was  true  not  merely  in  the 
larger  matters  pertaining  to  its  general  management, 
but  in  all  the  details  relating  to  its  work  and  adminis- 
tration. The  College  plant  and  its  equipment,  the 
departments  of  instruction,  the  courses  of  study,  the 
various  organizations,  the  ideas  for  which  the  Institu- 
tion stood,  the  spirit  it  exemplified,  the  work  it  sought 
to  accomplish,  its  relation  to  the  public  and  the  rela- 
tion of  the  public  to  the  College  —  all  these,  in  a  very 
true  sense,  found  in  him  their  source  and  sustenance, 
and  this,  not  in  a  spirit  of  formal  oversight  and  official 

269 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVEB 


dictation,  but  through  the  living  spirit  of  creative 
work  and  fellow  service. 

And  to  what  extent  were  his  ideas  realized 
and  what  fruit  did  his  labors  bear?  Let  him 
answer  who  can  estimate  the  value  to  State  and  Nation 
of  3,000  women,  who,  in  the  short  space  of  fourteen 
3'ears,  availed  themselves  of  the  advantages  thus 
provided,  and,  with  increased  power  of  usefulness  and 
enlightened  zeal  for  service,  passed  on  teaching 
lessons  of  right  thinking  and  right  living  to  more 
than  200,000  North  Carolina  children.  Let  him  con- 
sider that  the  students  came  from  every  county  in 
the  State,  that  they  represented  every  respectable 
calling,  profession  and  industry  and  every  form  of 
honest  labor  in  which  the  people  of  North  Carolina 
were  engaged ;  that  during  the  later  years  of  his  presi- 
dency there  was  not  a  county  in  the  State  in  which 
representatives  of  the  College  were  not  to  be  found 
actively  engaged  in  public  service ;  and  finally,  that 
two-thirds  of  all  the  students  enrolled  and  more  than 
nine-tenths  of  all  who  graduated  became  teachers  in 
North  Carolina.  A  veritable  fulfilling  of  his  prophecy 
this  —  education  made  possible  to  thousands,  and  the 
State  hlessed  in  her  teachers  because  she  blessed  them! 

The  hand  and  heart  and  brain  of  Dr.  Mclver  were 
felt  throughout  the  Institution,  but  most,  perhaps, 
in  what  may  be  called  the  spirit  of  the  College.  In 
its  life  pulsed  the  vigor  and  strength,  the  patriotism 
and  helpfulness  of  the  man  ;  about  it  lingered  the  sun- 
shine of  his  optimism,  and,  infusing  it  all,  were  the 

270 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVER 


dignity  of  serious  purpose  and  the  wholesome  spirit 
of  a  true  democracy.  His  conception  of  what  the 
atmosphere  of  a  college  should  be,  he  has  given  us  in 
his  biennial  report  of  1902. 

"The  State,"  he  writes,  "is  always  the  gainer  when  its 
teachers  can  be  trained  in  an  atmosphere  of  equality  which 
recognizes  the  worth  of  honest  toil  and  faithful  service 
regardless  of  class  distinctions  of  all  kinds.  The  distinguish- 
ing characteristic  of  Americanism  is  its  theory,  and  I  am 
glad  to  say  its  usual  practice,  of  giving  to  every  man,  woman 
and  child  a  fair  chance  in  life.  No  board  of  directors  and 
no  faculty  or  college  president  can  force  this  spirit.  They 
can  only  adopt  systems  and  policies  that  will  tend  to  its 
development. 

"The  worth  of  a  strong  college  to  a  student  is  not,  as 
some  suppose,  the  mere  fact  that  it  gives  the  opportunity 
to  a  student  to  perform  systematic  literary  tasks  assigned 
by  teachers,  or  that  it  gives  opportunity  to  work  in  labora- 
tories and  libraries.  These  are  necessary  and  important, 
but  the  student's  greatest  advantage  at  college  is  the 
spiritual  and  mental  atmosphere  of  the  place.  It  is 
intangible,  but  you  can  feel  it.  It  can  not  be  measured, 
but  its  effect  is  everywhere  manifest. 

"The  love  of  truth  for  truth's  sake;  the  belief  in  equality 
before  the  law;  the  belief  in  fair  play  and  the  willingness 
to  applaud  an  honest  victor  in  every  contest,  whether 
on  the  athletic  field  or  in  the  class  room  or  in  social  life; 
the  feeling  of  common  responsibility;  the  habit  of  tolerance 
towards  those  with  whom  one  does  not  entirely  agree;  the 
giving  up  of  small  rights  for  the  sake  of  greater  rights 
that  are  essential;  the  recognition  of  authority  and  the 
dignified  voluntary  submission  to  it  even  when  the  reason 
for  the  policy  adopted  by  the  authority  is  not  apparent;  the 
spirit  of  overlooking  the  blunders  of  others  and  of  helping 
those  who  are  weak;   the   contempt  for  idlers  and  shirkers; 

271 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVEB 


tlie  love  of  one 's  fellow-workers  even  though  they  be 
one's  rivals;  patience  in  toil;  self-reliance;  faith  in  human 
progress;  confidence  in  right  and  belief  in  God — these  are  the 
characteristics  of  the  atmosphere  of  a  great  and  useful 
college.  The  young  man  or  young  woman  who  by  associa- 
tion with  faculty  and  fellow-students  becomes  imbued  with 
these  principles  gains  what  never  can  be  secured  in  the 
same  degree  in  the  best  homes  or  small  schools,  or  anywhere 
else   except   in   a   college." 

We  would  Avilliugly  dwell  at  length  upon  this 
phase  of  President  Mclver's  work, —  on  the  intimate 
relations  he  sustained  to  the  State 's  College  for  women, 
and  on  the  influences  which  through  it  he  exerted 
upon  public  education/'''''Wliat  this  virile  man  accom- 
plished in  supplying  strength  where  of  old  existed 
finishing-school  superficiality,  how  he  inculcated  ideas 
of  service,  how  he  made  vital  the  conception  of  woman 
as  a  citizen,  how  he  diffused  abroad  a  spirit  of  whole- 
some democracy — and  all  this  through  constructive 
labors,  preserving,  strengthening  and  multiplying  the 
influences  that  make  for  culture  and  true  womanliness 
—  this,  did  space  permit,  we  would  willingly  empha- 
size. But  the  merest  suggestion  must  here  suffice, 
M^iile  to  the  future  biographer  is  left  the  fuller  chap- 
ters of  this  inspiring  story. 

Important  as  are  these  services,  they  constitute  but 
a  part  of  the  faithful  labors  which  won  for  him  State 
and  National  recognition  as  an  educational  leader  and 
statesman.  During  his  life-time,  State  appreciation 
may  be  said  to  have  been  summed  up  in  the  following 
sentences  taken  from  an  editorial  appearing  January 

272 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVER 


24,  1904,  in  one  of  our  leading  North  Carolina  daily 
newspapers : 

"He  has  been  a  leading  force  in  every  movement  looking 
for  progress,  educational  or  otherwise,  in  North  Carolina. 
When  the  history  of  this  decade  is  written,  the  story  of 
the  public  service  rendered  his  State  by  Charles  Duncan 
Mclver  will  be  one  of  the  brightest  pages  in  that  splen- 
did volume  of  patriotic  achievement.  There  is  not  a  man 
in  the  State  who  has  made  himself  felt  so  powerfully  and 
so    helpfully    for    progress." 

' '  The  national  point  of  view  may  be  taken  as  indicated 
in  an  article  on  Public  School  Leaders  appearing  in 
the  July,  1905,  magazine  number  of  The  Outlook. 
Kelative  to  the  topic  under  consideration,  it  says : 

"In  the  Southern  States  there  is  no  man  better  entitled 
to  be  called  a  champion  of  the  public  schools,  and  of  the 
whole  idea  of  popular  education,  than  Charles  Duncan 
Mclver,  of  North  Carolina.  *  *  *  He  is  a  man  of 
intense  earnestness,  energy,  insight  and  common  sense. 
For  the  past  twelve  years  his  voice  has  been  raised  in 
behalf  of  popular  education,  not  only  in  every  county  of 
his  own  State,  but  throughout  the  South  and  in  great 
national  assemblies.  There  is  no  abler  speaker  on  this 
subject  than  Doctor  Mclver.  He  has  been  the  soul  of  the 
forward  movement  in  his  region,  and  he  is  now  chairman 
of  the  Campaign  Committee  inaugurated  by  the  Southern 
Education  Boafd  for  the  promotion  of  universal  education." 

These  are  but  two  voices  among  many  hundreds 
which,  separately  during  his  life  and  in  unison  at  the 
time  of  his  death,  aclmowledged  gratefully  the  debt  of 
gratitude    due   this   loyal   leader   for   public   service 

273 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVER 


v/ 


well  and  faithfully  performed.  Many  of  the  edito- 
rials appearing  at  the  time  of  his  death  are  included  in 
this  volume  and  are  to  be  found  in  that  section  of  the 
worlv  devoted  to  tributes  from  the  press.  In  the  nature 
of  the  case  all  could  not  be  given  since  the  writer 
had  access  only  to  the  papers  that  came  to  the  College 
reading-room.  A  glance  at  the  names  of  these  papers, 
however,  will  indicate  how  truly  representative  they 
are  of  the  people  of  North  Carolina,  and  a  reading  of 
the  editorials  will  reveal  how  uniformly  they  voice  that 
people 's  grief.  With  one  accord  they  call  him  blessed. 
"Every  newspaper  in  North  Carolina,"  says  the 
Richmond  Times-Dispatch,  made  his  death  "the  sub- 
ject of  an  editorial  eulogy  and  they  vied  with  one 
another  in  praising  his  character  and  his  work. ' ' 

And  what  of  the  multitude  of  messages  so  patheti- 
cally expressive  of  personal  loss,  those  which  speak 
brokenly  of  lost  counsellor,  friend,  brother,  and 
parent  ?  —  Hush,  let  us  pass  on !  There  is  a  grief  too 
deep  for  inspection,  and  this  unveiling  of  the  sorrow- 
ing human  heart  may  not  be  done  even  in  a  memorial 
volume. 

The  wide  variety  of  his  public  service  is  indicated 
by  the  positions  of  honor  and  influence  held  by  Doctor 
Mclver  in  the  course  of  his  busy  life.  In  addition 
to  the  fourteen  years  of  his  college  Presidency  and 
the  work  already  referred  to  as  Conductor  of  State 
and  County  Institutes,  Superintendent  of  Summer 
Normal  Schools,  and  Chairman  of  the  Committee  that 
secured  the  establishment  of  the  Normal  and  Indus- 

274 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVEB 


trial  College,  he  was  a  participant  in  all  the  important 
work  of  the  North  Carolina  Teachers'  Assembly  and 
its  President  in  1892 ;  a  worker  in  the  Southern  Edu- 
cational Association  and  its  President  in  1905,  and  an 
active  member  of  the  National  Educational  Associa- 
tion, serving  at  various  times  as  Chairman  of  its 
Committee  on  Resolutions,  member  of  its  Committee 
on  Education  and  Taxation,  President  of  its  Normal 
School  Department,  and  member  of  its  National  Coun- 
cil. During  the  administration  of  Governor  Elias 
Carr  he  served  as  proxy  to  represent  the  State  stock 
in  the  North  Carolina  Railroad  Company.  He  was 
one  of  the  organizers  of  the  Southern  Education  Board, 
the  efficient  Chairman  of  its  Campaign  Committee,  and 
a  leader  in  the  movement  for  local  taxation  for  public 
schools  throughout  North  Carolina.  To  him  is  owing 
the  organization  of  the  Woman's  Association  for  the 
Betterment  of  Public  Schools.  He  was  a  member  of 
the  State  Literary  and  Historical  Association  and 
Vice-President  of  the  State  Library  Association.  A 
loyal  son  of  his  Alma  Mater,  the  University  of  North 
Carolina,  he  served  it  officially  as  trustee  and  mem- 
ber of  its  Executive  Committee,  and  liberally  and 
heartily  supported  every  movement  for  the  promotion 
of  its  welfare.  In  recognition  of  his  public  service 
the  University  conferred  on  him  the  honorary  degrees 
of  Doctor  of  Letters  and  Doctor  of  Laws.  In  present- 
ing him  for  the  latter  degree.  Doctor  Charles  Alphonso 
Smith,  Dean  of  the  graduate  department,  said : 


275 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVEB 


"I  have  the  honor  to  present  *  *  for  the  degree 
of  Doctor  of  Laws  *  *  Charles  Dun«an  Melver,  Presi- 
dent of  the  North  Carolina  State  Normal  and  Industrial 
College  for  Women.  As  State  Institute  Conductor  from  1889 
to  1892,  he  first  showed  himself  peculiarly  fitted  to  be  a 
moulder  of  educational  thought.  A  firm  believer  in  the 
education  of  all  the  people,  he  has  devoted  his  rare  powers 
of  organization  and  appeal  more  especially  to  the  education 
of  women.  'No  State,'  he  declares,  'which  will  educate  its 
mothers  need  have  any  fear  about  future  illiteracy. '  That 
this  sentiment  has  at  last  found  recognition  not  only  in  the 
educational  creed,  but  also  in  the  educational  policy  of  North 
Carolina,  is  due  more  to  Doctor  McIver  than  to  any  other 
one  man." 

To  add  to  this  already  long  list  the  various  local 
organizations,  city  and  county,  to  which  he  belonged, 
such,  for  example,  as  the  Young  Men's  Business 
Association,  the  Industrial  and  Immigration  Asso- 
ciation, the  Chamber  of  Commerce,  the  Guilford 
County  Board  of  School  Improvement,  and  the  North 
Carolina  Reunion  Association — to  mention  all  such 
organizations  and  to  specify  the  committees  on  which 
he  served  would  be  to  convert  the  latter  part  of  this 
sketch  largely  into  a  catalogue  of  society  and  com- 
mittee names.  Interpreted  aright  there  is  a  profound 
significance  in  this  long  array  of  social,  industrial, 
educational,  business,  literary  and  historical  associa- 
tions, since  it  indicates  not  only  a  healthful  interest 
in  national,  state  and  local  affairs,  but  a  wide  and 
intimate  familiarity  with  the  agencies  of  progress  and 
a  whole-souled  enlistment  of  his  energies  in  all  move- 
ments that  promised  to  promote  the  public  good. 

276 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVEB 


It  was  as  a  public  speaker  and  orator,  perhaps,  that 
Doctor  Mclver  was  most  widely  known  to  the  general 
public  both  in  his  OAvn  State  and  beyond  its  borders. 
The  demands  thus  made  upon  him  were  frequent  and  .  / 
at  times  almost  continuous.  It  was  his  custom  to  carry 
with  him  a  pocket  calendar  on  which  were  noted  the 
dates  of  promised  addresses.  When  a  new  appoint- 
ment was  sought,  he  consulted  his  calendar,  named  the 
nearest  unfilled  date,  and 'thus,  by  an  unending  pro- 
cess, added  to  what  he  called  his  "incidental  and  vaca- 
tion work."  Appointments  were  often  made  several 
months  in  advance  and  it  was  not  unusual  for  him 
to  have  every  available  date  filled  for  six  weeks  in 
succession.  The  acceptance  of  these  invitations  was 
determined  by  the  opportunity  for  service  afforded 
by  the  particular  town,  city  or  community  from  which 
came  the  call.  If  any  doubt  arose,  the  chances  were 
nearly  always  in  favor  of  the  smaller  and  weaker 
community,  and  the  message  was  carried  to  the 
few  hundreds  that  gathered  at  the  cross-roads  store 
or  country  church  rather  than  to  the  larger  number 
who  assembled  in  opera  house  or  city  hall.  The  mes- 
sage, too,  had  reference  to  the  needs  and  special  con- 
ditions of  time  and  place,  and  thus  constituted  a  sow- 
ing of  good  seed  in  suitable  soil,  for  it  is  safe  to  say 
that  Charles  D.  Mclver  never  addressed  an  audience 
without  having  a  distinct  end  in  view  and  that  end 
the  provoking  to  good  works.  There  are  few  places 
in  North  Carolina  where  his  voice  has  not  been  raised 
in  behalf  of  some  public  measure.     Large  audiences, 

277 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVEB 


y 


too,  in  great  cities  far  removed  from  his  native  State, 
greeted  this  educational  leader,  and  from  his  lips 
heard  the  inspiring  story  of  our  educational  progress. 
Thus  he  bore  our  message  of  hopefulness  and  good 
will  to  more  than  one-half  the  States  in  the  Union. 

His  favorite  topics  were,  of  course,  those  that 
related  to  education,  but  as  this  is  among  the  most 
comprehensive  of  subjects,  his  addresses  may  be  said 
to  have  included  a  wide  range  of  themes.  He  was 
not  a  man  to  deal  in  generalities,  but  with  a  particular 
purpose  in  view,  selected  a  timely  theme,  appropriate 
to  a  given  audience,  and  sought  by  a  clear  and  force- 
ful presentation  of  facts  to  accomplish  a  definite 
result.  He  would,  for  example,  address  a  body  of 
lawmakers  on  the  duty  of  the  State  to  make  liberal 
provision  for  the  education  of  its  citizens — the  citizens 
themselves  on  the  advantages  of  local  taxation  for 
public  schools.  Or,  the  "Teacher  as  a  Citizen"  might 
perhaps  be  the  subject  of  a  talk  to  teachers,  and  when 
urged  to  repeat  it  before  a  general  audience,  he  would 
respond  with  an  address  on  "The  Citizen  as  a 
"Teacher."  Although  an  interested  student  of  our 
past  history,  he  seldom  drew  upon  its  storehouse  for 
the  material  of  his  public  discourses,  but  preferred 
to  live  in  the  present  and  in  it  find  the  chief  objects 
of  public  concern.  With  him  the  past  was  our  herit- 
age, the  present  our  opportunity,  and  the  future, 
a  result  of  the  labors  of  today.  To  the  Avork  at  hand 
he  therefore  addressed  himself,  and  though  he  some- 
times saw  visions,   he   never   dreamed  dreams.     All 

278 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVER 


his  speeches,  whether  intended  primarily  for  men  or 
women,  and  whether  addressed  to  students,  teachers, 
civic  organizations  or  to  the  general  public,  had  this 
one  thing  in  common  —  they  all,  without  exception, 
emphasized  the  duty  of  public  and  community  service. 

While  relying  chiefly  iipon  the  power  of  the  spoken 
word  as  an  agency  in  conveying  his  message  to  man- 
kind, he  was  not  unmindful  of  the  influence  of  the 
pen.  Amid  the  duties  of  official  life  and  the  numer- 
ous outside  calls  made  upon  him,  he  found  time  to 
write  much  that  is  of  more  than  passing  value.  His 
newspaper  and  magazine  articles,  his  educational  cam- 
paign documents  and  official  reports,  and  his  speeches, 
revised  and  prepared  for  publication,  these,  if  gath- 
ered together,  would  doubtless  comprise  several  goodly 
volumes,  and  would  constitute  a  valuable  addition  to 
the  literature  relating  to  educational  and  civic  ideals. 
His  writings,  like  his  speeches,  are  clear  and  force- 
ful discussions  of  topics  pertaining  to  education  and 
public  service. 

The  life  here  sketched  would  seem  to  leave  little 
opportunity  for  the  enjoyment  of  the  quieter  pleasures 
of  home,  and  the  leisure  and  happiness  which  home 
suggests.  But  the  life  here  sketched  is  but  the  outer 
and  visible  workings  of  an  inner  life  which  found  its 
center  in  the  home  and  family.  In  Miss  Lula  V.  Mar- 
tin, of  Winston,  North  Carolina,  Charles  D.  Mclver 
found  a  life  companion  whose  Christian  graces  of 
character  and  powers  of  intellectual  sympathy  ren- 


279 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVER 


dered  her  the  truest  eneourager  of  his  efforts  and  the 
wisest  judge  and  re  warder  of  his  success. 

She  it  was  who  first  directed  his  attention  to  the 
inadequate  facilities  for  woman's  education  in  North 
Carolina  and  to  the  total  neglect  on  the  part  of  the 
State  to  provide  for  its  daughters  what  it  had  long 
since  wisely  provided  for  its  sons.    Under  her  influence, 
at  a  teachers'  institute  held  in  Winston,  in  the  sum- 
mer of  1885,  he  made  his  first  public  speech  in  behalf 
of  the  higher  education  of  women.     Together  they 
formulated  the  plan  which  was  to  right  the  wrong 
so  long  existing;  together — for  she,  too,  was  engaged 
with  him  in  institute  work — they  presented  that  plan 
to  the  people  of  North  Carolina;  and  together  they 
I    labored  for  the  accomplishment  of  their  ideal  now  so 
I  happily  embodied  in  the  State  Normal  and  Industrial 
/^     J^  College. 

^■■'  The  marriage  of  these  educational  co-workers  took 
place  in  1885.  Four  children,  a  son  and  three  daugh- 
ters, added  happiness  to  their  union.  A  simple  home 
was  his,  blessed  by  generous  affection  and  pervaded 
by  an  atmosphere  of  hospitality  and  genial  courtesy — 
a  home  where  culture  and  quiet  refinement  were  justly 
esteemed  and  where  trust  in  God  and  faith  in  human- 
ity remained  unquestioned  and  sincere.  His  religious 
faith  was  that  of  the  Scotch  Covenanters,  adhered  to 
in  its  simplicity,  but  lived  in  the  spirit  of  Christian 
rather  than  of  sect.  He  amassed  no  wealth,  yet  none 
could  call  him  poor,  for  love  and  confidence  were  his 
in  fullest  measure  and  he  left  to  his  family  and  to 

280 


CHARLES   DUNCAN   McIVER 


the  people  whom  he  loved  and  served  a  priceless  legacy 
of  good  works,  a  heritage  to  all  that  survive  him  and 
to  thousands  yet  unborn. 

Twenty-five  years  have  elapsed  since,  diploma  in 
hand,  Charles  D.  Mclver  passed  from  college  halls 
into  the  larger  school  of  life.  And  life  itself  grew 
richer  with  his  coming,  and  so  remains  and  will  remain 
though  he  that  led  us  has  entered  into  rest.  He 
accomplished  much  and  in  the  doing  of  it  taught  us  to 
demand  of  him  and  of  ourselves  and  of  all  men  — 
more.  This,  we  suspect,  is  as  he  would  have  it,  for 
his  message  to  his  fellow  man  rings  clear  and  true: 
Live  more  abundantly  through  more  abundant  service, 
striving  hopefully  for  the  larger  things  of  life. 


281 


INDEX 


A  NOBLE  CAREER  ENDED —  Page 

Press  Correspondence  by  Andrew  Joyner 7 

Daily  Industrial  News 9 

Greensboro  Record    12 

Greensboro  Telegram   14 

A  NOBLE  REQUIEM  — 

Daily  Industrial  News    16 

Eulogy  by  Hon.  William  Jennings  Bryan 17 

Greensboro  Record   27 

Greensboro  Patriot 28 

LAID  TO  REST  — 

Raleigh  News  and  Observer    30 

Greensboro  Telegram   31 

Daily  Industrial  News    31 

Funeral  Sermon  by  L.  W.  Crawford,  D.  D 33 

PRESS  TRIBUTES  — 

Greensboro  Telegram    43 

Weekly  Tar  Heel    44 

Raleigh  News  and  Observer    44 

Charlotte  Observer 45 

Charlotte  News    47 

Wilmington    Messenger    47 

New   Bern  Journal    48 

N.  C.  Journal  of  Education 50 

Asheville   Citizen    52 

Durham   Sun    54 

Charity  and  Children    54 

Kinston  Free   Press 55 

Webster's   Weekly    56 

Lexington   Dispatch    . 57 

Charlotte    Chronicle    57 

Winston   Sentinel    58 

Moeksville  Courier   59 

Raleigh  Times 59 

North   Carolina   Baptist    60 

Salisbury   Post    61 

Concord    Tribune    61 

Biblical  Recorder    62 

Everything     62 

283 


INDEX 

PRESS  TRIBUTES— Continued—  Page 

Winston-Salem   Journal    63 

Duplin  Journal    65 

Daily   Reflector    66 

Orphan's  Friend  and  Masonic  Journal 66 

Statesville    Landmark     67 

Maxton  Blade    69 

Christian   Sun    69 

Raleigh   Christian   Advocate    71 

Chapel  Hill  News   72 

Union    Republican    72 

Trinity   Chronicle    72 

Warrenton   Record    .  .  . : 74 

Scottish  Chief   74 

Elm  City  Mirror 74 

Durham  Recorder 75 

Progressive   Parmer    76 

Roxboro  Courier    76 

Henderson  Gold  Leaf 77 

The  Caucasian 77 

Tarboro   Southerner    78 

Smithfield  Herald 78 

Newton  Enterprise    78 

Catawba  County  News   79 

Scotland   Neck   Commonwealth    79 

Mooresville  Enterprise 80 

Gastonia   News    81 

Elkin  Enterprise 81 

Presbyterian    Standard    82 

Reidsville    Review    82 

Hertford  Herald 83 

Waynesville    Courier    83 

News  Reporter    84 

Monroe    Journal    85 

Polk  County  News    86 

Daily  Industrial  News   86 

Deaf   Carolinian    89 

South   Atlantic   Quarterly    90 

University   Magazine    96 

Wake  Forest  Student 99 

Guilford   Collegian    99 

Religious  Herald,  Richmond    103 

Richmond  Times-Dispatch    106 

.     Columbia  State   109 

Baltimore    Sun    110 

Southern  Workman Ill 

Educational  Exchange,  Alabama 113 

Louisiana  School  Review 113 

284 


INDEX 

PRESS  TRIBUTES — Continued —  Page 

The  Commoner,   Nebraska   115 

New   York   Times    116 

Little  Rock  Gazette    118 

Review    of   Reviews    119 

The    Outlook    122 

World's  Work 124 

MEMORIALS  and  MEMORIAL   EXERCISES  — 

Normal   College  Memorial   Exercises.     Program 127 

Impressive  Exercises,  Daily  Record 128 

Introductory  Remarks,  Acting  President  Julius  I.  Foust.  .  .  129 

Invocation,  Rev.  Henry  W.  Battle 130 

Address,  Dr.  Edwin  A.  Alderman 132 

Dr.   George  T.  Winston 148 

Dr.  F.  P.  Venable 149 

Dr.  James  E.  Brooks    151 

Miss  Mary  K.  Applewhite 154 

Hon.  J.   Y.   Joyner    157 

Statue  in  Bronze,   Governor's  Proclamation 163 

Mclver  Loan  and  Scholarship  Fund 164 

Mclver  Memorial  Day    166 

Public  School  Memorial  Exercises.     Program 167 

University   of  North  Carolina    168 

Davidson   College    169 

Wake  Forest   College    171 

Trinity  College    171 

Guilford   College    172 

Whitsett    Institute     173 

Oak  Ridge  Institute    174 

Oxford    Seminary    174 

Peace  Institute    176 

Duplin  County  Alumnae    177 

University  Alumni,  Wake  County  Association 178 

Guilford  County  Association   179 

Salisbury  Graded  Schools    179 

Transylvania   County   Teachers    180 

Graham  Graded   School    180 

Wake  County  Teachers'  Association 181 

RESOLUTIONS  — 

Normal  College  Directors    182 

Faculty    184 

Adelphian   Society    185 

Cornelian    Society    186 

Young   Woman's    Christian    Association.  .  .  .  188 

Senior  Class 188 

Junior  Class 189 

Sophomore  Class    190 

285 


INDEX 

RESOLUTIONS  — Continued—  Page 

Henderson  Graded  Schools  and  Citizens    190 

Former  Students  of  Hickory 191 

State  Primary  Teachers'   Association 192 

University  Dialectic  Society    194 

Greensboro  Chamber  of  Commerce 194 

Masonic  Lodge,  Winston    195 

A.  and  M.  College  for  Colored  Race 197 

Conference  for  Education  in  South    198 

Committee  on  Pastorate,  Presbyterian  Church   199 

Daughters  of  Confederacy,  Guilford  Chapter    201 

North  Carolina   Library  Association    202 

Greensboro  Public  Library    203 

Daughters  of  American  Revolution,  Waynesville    203 

Buncombe   County  Alumnae  Association    204 

Woman's  Club,  Goldsboro   205 

Junior  Order,   Greensboro  Council    206 

Wilson   County   Alumnae    207 

Maxton  Graded  Schools   208 

Manndale    Institute    209 

McDowell   County   Board   of   Education 210 

Tryon  School 211 

N.  C.  Children's  Home   Society    212 

PERSONAL   TRIBUTES  — 

J.  D.  Murphy   214 

Josephus   Daniels    219 

Gov.  R.  B.  Glenn,  Message  to  General  Assembly 235 

Dr.  C.  Alphonso   Smith    236 

Col.  Paul  B.  Means    237 

R.   D.   W.   Connor    242 

Mary  Faison  De  Vane    244 

.  B.   W.    Spillman    247 

Rev.  Millard  A.  Jenkins 248 

Dr.  J.  B.   Carlyle    251 

"Verse,  R.  D.  Douglas    253 

"G.",  Trinity  Archive 254 

"M.  J.",  Raleigh  News  and  Observer 255 

W.  C.  Smith 255 

Helen  C.  Hicks 256 

Biographical  Sketch,  by  W.  C.  Smith 258 


286 


5 


